3,451 finger puppets: a puppeteer's joyful record, reclaimed

For five years, two American collectors have traded the world record for the largest finger-puppet collection. Professional puppeteer Cheralyn Lambeth of Charlotte, North Carolina, has now reclaimed it with 3,451 puppets — nearly 1,000 more than her previous mark. Many she made herself during the pandemic, sharing build ideas so parents and children stuck at home could craft along. Her friendly rival Sonny Molina started the duel in 2021 with 497 puppets — and Lambeth says she has no plans to stop collecting.