Largest collection of Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia, world record in Dayton, Texas

July 28, 2024

Dayton, Texas, United States--Barry Evans, of Dayton, Texas, has 3,050 items related to the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series and character; he has been collecting Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia for 30 years and now he sets the world record for having the Largest collection of Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"Barry Evans, of Dayton, Texas, has 3,050 items related to the video game series and character. He was publicly recognized by Guinness World Records for owning the largest collection of Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia, according to a press release," the New York Post says.

"Evans has been collecting items from the franchise since 1992 when he bought the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 video game, which is Evans’ favorite game, the press release said. His second item was a Sonic bubble gum container, which he bought in 1993.

"The top items in Evans’ collection are Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails statues, which Evans got from the Toys ‘R’ Us flagship store as they were about to remodel in 2001. Evans had been in contact with the store managers for years in the hopes of obtaining the statues one day."

"The largest collection of Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia is 3,050 items, and was achieved by Barry Evans (USA) in Dayton, Texas, USA, on 1 March 2022," the Guinness World Records says.

"Barry has been collecting Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia for over 30 years."

"A Dayton, Texas man's love for Sonic the Hedgehog has earned him a Guinness World Record. Barry Evans has a collection of 3,050 items related to the blue, fast-moving video game character, breaking the world record for the largest collection of Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia," the Chron.com says.

"Evans' passion for Sonic began 30 years ago when he bought his first and favorite video game ever, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The item he launched his collection with was a Sonic bubble gum container he purchased in 1993.

"In 1993, Evans built an arcade machine using his SEGA Genesis video game console so that he could play Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the retro way. He also owns a mould used to make plastic Sonic toys handed out at U.K. Burger King restaurants. Among the most recent additions to his collection is a $1,700 1992 Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails plush walkie-talkie set from Japan."

"A Texas man who has been collecting Sonic the Hedgehog memorabilia for 30 years earned a Guinness World Record when his cache of items was officially tallied at 3,050," the UPI says.

"Barry Evans of Dayton said he bought a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Sega Genesis in 1992 -- his first-ever video game purchase -- and he's been hooked on the character ever since.

"Evans said some of the most treasured items in his collection are giant statues of Sonic and his sidekick, Tails, that were decorations at a Toys 'R' Us store for years. He said his most unique item is a mold used to create plastic Sonic toys for British Burger King restaurants."

"Sonic the Hedgehog[a] is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega," the Wikipedia says.

"The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main Sonic the Hedgehog games are platformers mostly developed by Sonic Team; other games, developed by various studios, include spin-offs in the racing, fighting, party and sports genres.

"The franchise also incorporates printed media, animations, feature films, and merchandise."