It all began in a quiet household in Fairfax City, Virginia. A young Constantine “Coz” Adams would hear the familiar melodies of The Legend of Zelda before even opening his eyes. His older brother, four and a half years his senior, would spend hours immersed in adventure as Coz watched, glued to the screen. That childhood ritual sparked something profound—a lifelong fascination with Hyrule’s heroics and treasures.
On July 19, 2025, that fascination reached an extraordinary milestone. After twenty-five years of collecting, cataloging, and cherishing, Coz secured the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of The Legend of Zelda memorabilia, tallying an astounding 3,918 pieces in his basement, a figure more than double the previous record held by Anne Martha Harnes of Norway.
Coz describes the record not as a triumphant celebration but as the moment to quietly reveal his achievement. “It was just a goal,” he shared. “Something challenging to do. Now’s my time to show it off.”
A Collection Forged by Passion and Persistence
The journey began in earnest during Coz’s teenage years. At age sixteen, he began collecting games from the NES through PlayStation 2. He sold many of these early acquisitions on eBay, using the proceeds to fund his Zelda hunt. A pivotal turning point came in 2012 when a failed attempt to buy a large lot of Zelda amiibo on Craigslist fueled a determination to track down every Zelda-themed piece.
He says that for years he scanned auction sites and collector networks daily. When he spotted something rare, he knew to act quickly. The thrill was in both the hunt and the acquisition. By 2019, his focus narrowed to Zelda memorabilia alone, and within two years he applied to Guinness World Records, submitting documentation of the 3,918 items and hearing back within weeks, rather than the months he expected.
A Basement Shrine to Hyrule
Coz’s basement now stands as a vibrant tribute to the Zelda universe. Every surface tells a story, from amiibo and game cartridges to apparel, plush figures, promotional hourglasses, and limited-edition collectibles. Among the most treasured items are a sealed Exin Castillos building block set for Ocarina of Time, a vintage lucite sign displaying Link’s face, and promotional hourglasses tied to Phantom Hourglass. Rarest of all are three contest-only scrolls released exclusively in Australia, with fewer than thirty of each known to exist.
Despite the countless official items in his collection, Coz’s personal favorite isn’t something you can buy. He built an entire claw machine themed after Link’s Awakening, the very first Zelda game he played solo. It took a full year to complete. A Raspberry Pi inside plays music from both the 1993 original and the 2019 remake, controlled by a genuine Nintendo controller—an artful tribute to the game that lit the spark for everything that followed
Family, Community, and the Heart of the Quest
Coz’s story always circles back to family. He learned to love Zelda by watching his brother. Now his children Lucas and Elaina have front-row seats to the adventure. His wife Amanda supports his dedication, laughing about their basement being filled with Zelda treasures but proud of his passion. His parents admire the layout and organization, calling the space “a museum dedicated to Zelda”. His brother Eric finds joy in hunting for rare items to surprise Coz with, amazed at the collection’s growth.
It wasn’t until his son flipped through a Guinness World Records book that Coz realized he too could be part of that world. His application followed, and now the record stands—a tangible recognition of years spent following a dream.
Though he’s nearly out of space, Coz isn’t done. For him, collecting remains more than a hobby—it’s about nostalgia, family, creativity, and the stories each piece represents. What started with a Game Boy and Link’s Awakening has become a legend of its own, and Coz’s grand adventure isn’t over—it’s simply reaching new levels.
