Largest collection of Guinness World Records memorabilia

Who: Martyn Tovey
What: 2164 total number
Where: United Kingdom (Radstock)
When: 25 September 2014

The largest collection of Guinness World Records memorabilia consists of 2,164 unique items and is owned by Martyn Tovey (UK) of Radstock, UK. The achievement was verified on 25 September 2014.

Martyn also has the record for the Largest collection of Guinness World Records annuals (353).

We invited Martyn to our London HQ to find out more…

When did you start your collections?

I received my first Guinness Book of Records as a school prize in 1968, and have been given the latest edition as a Christmas present every year since 1971. I started collecting GWR memorabilia about 10 years ago. Guinness World Records toys, games, spin-off publications, novelty items and promotional material have all been produced since the early 1960s.

And what made you start?

I had a childhood obsession with facts and figures. The books gave me a fantastic reference guide, which was updated with the latest data every year.

Which is your favourite piece?

My favourite would have to be a 1960 edition with handwritten corrections by [then editor] Norris McWhirter.

Where do you keep all this stuff?

It used to fill shelves, cupboards and boxes all over the house, but it’s now mostly in storage.

Do you have a favourite GWR record?

That would have to be Bob Beamon’s world-record long jump at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 [8.90 m; 29 ft 2.5 in – still a current Olympic record]. I can still remember my amazement at such an astonishing feat.