Rare, wacky, valuable: Man's collection of 9000 egg cups on display in Auckland

On display at a famous Auckland mansion are some of the rarest and most fascinating egg cups from a collection of more than 9000.

Johnny Green, an 89-year-old an egg cup collector, is more than qualified for the role, with an astounding collection of more than 9000 cups.

"I'm not mad or anything, I collect egg cups," he says.

They include Margaret Thatcher and Pinocchio cups, others are crafted to look like Guinness, digestive biscuits and a whistle - which you can actually whistle.

Many are on exhibition at Auckland's historic Mt Albert mansion, Alberton, until the 18th of May.

Green's very first cup was given to him by his mother in 1939 at the age of just nine-years-old, sparking his passion.

His favourites include one of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The cups are also made of a range of materials, such as china, plastic, and brass wood, and metal, with some worth hundreds of dollars.

But you won't catch Green using any of his prized collection for his own hard boiled eggs.

"The old egg cup I've got has got a chip out of it so I use that one instead of all my good ones."

Normally displayed in a shed at the bottom of his garden, he says it's hard to say exactly how many he has because his collection is always growing.

"I bought two only this morning on TradeMe actually."

His wife Jeanette doesn't mind too much.

"It is a bit stressful sometimes because there are just so many and it just doesn't stop," she says.

The one egg cup Green is missing, is one of himself.

"Course, I'm not famous enough to get one... yet," he says.

"I've got a picture of myself stuck on just an ordinary white egg cup...I stuck it on myself with a bit of glue!"

For now, he'll have to make do with a giant portrait of himself, made up of tiny photos of egg cups.

Watch the video above.

Newshub.