Martin Lewison, an associate professor of business management at Farmingdale State College on Long Island, New York, is big on Magic Mountain's collection. Known as “Professor Roller Coaster,” he's ridden around 2,260 of them worldwide. So he knows his stuff.

The record for the most unique roller coasters ridden is widely attributed to Richard Rodriguez, who is famous for "roller coaster marathons," and Vic Kleman. However, in the professional "coaster counting" community (monitored by sites like Coaster-Count), the top individual is often cited as Stefan Scheer from Germany. In 2026, the leading "count" for unique coasters ridden is well over 3,000 different coasters across nearly every continent. This hobby, known as "credit hunting," requires enthusiasts to travel globally to visit obscure family parks and major theme parks alike. These individuals often spend thousands of dollars annually to visit "new-for-the-year" attractions just to maintain their ranking. While the Guinness World Record often focuses on the "longest time" spent on a single coaster (where Richard Rodriguez spent over 400 hours on a coaster in Blackpool), the "most unique" title is a living, breathing race among members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) and the European Coaster Club, with the top numbers growing every time a new "SBF Visa Spinner" opens at a local carnival.