Collector’s despicable collection of more than 1K different Minions merch earns her Guinness World Record
Her “Despicable” collection paid off.
An Australian woman’s collection of 1,035 different pieces of Minions merch recently earned her a Guinness World Record.
Liesl Benecke began amassing Minions, the little yellow henchmen that star in Universal’s “Despicable Me” franchise, 15 years ago when the film was released — and couldn’t stop.
“I remember laughing so much at the cute, little pill-shaped henchmen. They certainly made a huge impression on me,” she told the outlet.
“My daughter says I need another house just to store my Minions, but I love being surrounded by their beautiful, bright yellow smiles,” she told Guinness World Records.
“They are in every room and on every spare wall … The back of my car is filled with Minions and when I stop at traffic lights I see people pointing and laughing at all the Minions in my car.”
Benecke, who was given the nickname “the Minion lady” by her coworkers, now holds the world record for largest collection of Minions memorabilia.
“I’m just a big kid at heart. Since then I have always been on the lookout for Minions everywhere I go.”
Her Minions collection — gathered from places like Singapore, Japan, Italy, the US, Portugal, Taiwan and China — includes clothes, movie posters, stuffed dolls, keychains, figurines — and even a tattoo.
“My favorite is Stuart, the sassy, one eyed Minion with attitude, and he is the one I have tattooed on my arm. So many people and kids comment on the tattoo and we start talking about our mutual love of Minions,” she continued.
“Stuart is my largest plush toy and fits nicely in the back seat – it’s fun to see people’s reactions when they spot him! He wears his seatbelt so he’s safe and he enjoys getting out.”
Benecke’s obsession with the creatures even led her to travel to Singapore to celebrate her birthday at Universal Studios with the Minions.
“My daughters said I never looked happier on that day,” she recalled.
She also journeyed to Minion Land at Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan, and her daughter captured the moment she cried as she entered the park.
“People laugh when I explain my obsession and they say they don’t get it or ask if my kids are the ones I collect for,” she told the outlet.
“The Minions are my source of happiness and their weird and wacky ways never fail to make me laugh.”
Her friends and family also assist her in building her Minion empire.
“They send me pictures when they are out shopping asking ‘do you have this one?’ And if I don’t, I get them to buy it for me – you could say they are my Minion shoppers,” she explained.
The self proclaimed “Minion snob” is selective of which ones she acquires.
“I only buy the Minions that I like the look of,” she said.
“Some Minions look better than others to me.”
