Seattle Woman Takes the World Record for Most Rubber Duckies
Charlotte Lee has the largest collection of rubber ducks in the world. How many, you ask? A whopping 5,631 and counting! She has been an avid duck collector for over a quarter of a century, and has amassed quite the collection.
By Richard Cole · October 23, 2023
If you think you have a lot of ducks in a row, wait until you meet Charlotte Lee. This Seattle woman has just earned a spot in the Guinness World Records for having the largest collection of rubber ducks in the world. How many, you ask? A whopping 5,631 and counting!
This 54-year-old duck enthusiast has been collecting these squeaky toys since 1996, when she decided to brighten up her “drab bathroom” with some colorful quackers. Little did she know that this would spark a lifelong passion that would fill her entire house with rubber ducks of all shapes, sizes, and themes.
Lee told Guinness that she loves seeing people’s reactions to her hobby, which range from amusement to horror. “Some people gasp and laugh with delight,” she said. “Others are disturbed because they feel like all these ducks are looking at them!”
We can’t blame them. Imagine walking into a room full of thousands of rubber ducks staring at you with their beady eyes. It’s enough to give anyone the heebie-jeebies.
But Lee is not fazed by the duck invasion. She has a system for organizing and displaying her collection, which includes vintage and rare ducks, ducks from different countries and continents, ducks made of different materials, and ducks with different themes. She has ducks that are dog toys, decorations, souvenirs, and household tools. She even has a duck-shaped toilet brush!
“The more I learned about rubber ducks, the more I wanted to see and learn about different kinds,” she said.
Of course, not all of her ducks are on display. Some of them are stored in boxes in her attic and garage, waiting for their turn to shine. Lee also has to take care of her ducks, making sure they are clean and preserved.
Lee’s ultimate dream is to find a museum that would be willing to take her collection and share it with the public. She thinks that her ducks have educational and cultural value, as well as entertainment value.
We think that’s a noble goal, and we wish Lee all the best in her quest to spread the joy of rubber ducks to the world. In the meantime, we’ll be keeping an eye on her record-breaking collection, which is still growing by the day.
Who knows? Maybe one day she’ll have enough ducks to fill a swimming pool. Or a lake. Or an ocean.
Quack quack!