15,000 Frogs Amassed by Legendary ‘Frog Lady’ To Be Sold at Auction

An assortment of more than 15,000 different frog-themed knickknacks, tchotchkes, baubles, and bric-à-brac will soon hit the auctioning block in Missouri.

According to KTVO, the mostly green trinkets belonged to the late Helen Claypool. In certain circles, Claypool was known as "Froggie" or "The Frog Lady" — so nicknamed due to her lifelong fascination with frogs.

Claypool, who would answer the telephone with "Ribbit," died back on December 19, 2022, according to her obituary, which noted she was the owner of the Frog Museum in Kirkville.

She started collecting her gewgaws and sundries when she was 6. Her collection got so massive, Helen's late husband Don, nicknamed "Toad," had to build an addition to their home to accommodate it.

"I've just always known her as Aunt Frog Lady," said Mindy Chapman, one of Helen Claypool's nieces, told KTVO. "She always had frog clothes on, frog earrings, license plate always said 'Frog Lady' or 'Frog' something."

According to KTVO, Helen kept detailed notes on her bibelots, with over 40 thick inventory logbooks, documenting each and every frog, complete with photos. She even jotted down "who gave them to her, where she got them and how much she gave for them," another niece, Jaclyn May, said.

Among the treasures in her collection? Frog statues, frog clocks, and even a toaster shaped like a frog.

Tomorrow morning, all of Claypool's frogs will be auctioned off, along with her home and other belongings, beginning at 10 a.m. The address for the auction is 21745 Potter Road.