Thursday, March 19, 2026, is a day our family will never forget. That afternoon, an email arrived from Guinness World Records with the subject line every applicant hopes to see: "Record Approved."
"We are thrilled to inform you that your application for Largest collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia has been successful and you are now the Guinness World Records Title Holder!"
Guinness World Records
The Long Wait
Getting here took months of work. Every item in the room had to be photographed and cataloged, and on August 5, 2025, members of the Lone Star State chapter of the Coca-Cola Collectors Club came to our home to witness the official count of 7,099 items. Then all of that evidence went to Guinness World Records for review, and we waited.
The FaceTime Call
Our daughter Samantha handled all of the administrative work behind this record: the paperwork, the application, every message with Guinness World Records, and the workflow we used to count and document each item. So she was the one who saw the email first. She frantically FaceTimed Bardo and Olga to share the news, and together we celebrated this milestone. After nearly three decades of collecting, one piece at a time, it was official: the Cuellar Coca-Cola Collection is the largest collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia in the world.
Thank You, Lone Star State Chapter
We could not have done this without our friends in the Lone Star State chapter of the Coca-Cola Collectors Club, who gave their time to witness the count and help verify our collection as part of the Guinness World Records process. Thank you for being there for us.
"Officially Amazing"
The email ended with a line we still smile about: "Congratulations, you are Officially Amazing!" It also opened the door to the next steps, including ordering official certificates. Soon after, we gave personalized certificates to everyone who helped us get here.
What Came Next
- May 2026: Guinness World Records published a feature story and video about our room.
- July 2026: We shared the record on stage at the Coca-Cola Collectors Club's 52nd National Convention.
- September 2026: We appeared on page 9 of Guinness World Records 2027.
See the official record listing, or read our full story.
More Updates
- Guinness World Records Shared Our Collection on Facebook!
- Sharing Our Guinness World Records Book with Friends and Family
- Guinness World Records Featured Our Coca-Cola Room
- Friends Visit Our Coca-Cola Museum (aka the West Wing)
- How We Counted 7,099 Coca-Cola Items
- Our Favorite Piece: The 1939 Westinghouse Ice Cooler
- Dedicating Our Guinness World Records Book to Ron and Sue
- Road Trip to Our Coca-Cola Meeting
- We're in the Guinness World Records 2027 Book!
- Sharing Our Record at the Coca-Cola Collectors Convention
- Certificates for Everyone Who Helped Us Set the Record
Questions About the Collection?
Media, fellow collectors and curious visitors are always welcome to reach out.