Representative Image of Susan Burgos’s vibrant frog-themed collectibles displayed throughout two homes, reflecting her passion for frogs (AI-generated image)
A tiny tree frog that appeared in Susan Burgos’s kitchen in 1983 sparked a passion for collecting that eventually earned her a Guinness World Records title. More than 4 decades later, the American woman has amassed 13,201 frog-related items, ranging from jewellery and clothing to toys, antiques and Christmas decorations. Her collection occupies 2 homes in Camarillo, California, including a second property with a large garage that she bought to store more of her growing collection. Burgos achieved the record on January 12, 2026, surpassing the previous mark of 10,502 items held by Sheila Crown of the UK. Guinness World Records featured her achievement in September as part of its coverage marking the release of Guinness World Records 2027. Burgos began collecting frog-themed objects after discovering a tiny tree frog in her kitchen in 1983. In its feature on Burgos’s record-breaking collection, Guinness World Records describes how she continued adding to her collection over more than 40 years.
“It stole my heart,” she said of the frog. For Burgos, it all began with a small frog and a gold ring with emerald eyes. Speaking to Guinness World Records, she recalled how the encounter inspired her first purchase, a gold frog ring with emerald eyes. That initial purchase became the beginning of a collection that continued to grow over the following decades. Burgos now looks for frog-related objects wherever she goes, including while travelling and browsing catalogues for new additions. Her collection reflects how a single encounter can develop into a long-running personal interest. What started with one piece of jewellery expanded into thousands of objects connected by a common theme.
Guinness World Records lists Burgos’s achievement as 13,201 items, with the record achieved on January 12, 2026. The total surpasses the previous record of 10,502 items held by Sheila Crown of the UK, putting Burgos 2,699 items ahead of the earlier mark. The organisation’s record page has a discrepancy in its summary field, which displays 13,021, but its accompanying text and September feature give the total as 13,201. Guinness World Records highlighted the collection in its September feature marking the release of Guinness World Records 2027. A study published in Nature on October 4, 2023, titled Ongoing declines for the world’s amphibians in the face of emerging threats , assessed 8,011 amphibian species and found that 40.7% were globally threatened. The researchers identified climate change as the leading driver of deteriorating conservation status since 2004, followed by habitat loss.
Asked to choose one item, she singled out an animated biker frog riding a motorcycle and singing “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys. “Well, one that springs to mind is an animated singing biker frog on a motorcycle that plays ‘Kokomo’ [by The Beach Boys],” she told Guinness World Records. The collection spans several categories, including frog-themed jewellery, toys, clothing and antiques. It also includes Christmas decorations, with Burgos having enough frog-themed ornaments to cover an entire tree. Despite the sheer number of objects, Burgos has a particular favourite. The collection has also created a practical challenge: finding enough room to keep everything. Burgos’s original home could no longer accommodate the growing number of items, prompting her to buy a second property with a large garage for storage. their real-life counterparts face serious threats While Burgos celebrates frogs through her collection. The findings provide wider context for the animals that inspired Burgos’s decades-long collecting passion, although her collection is not itself a conservation initiative. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.