Edit in JSFiddle

var contactData = [
    {firstName: 'John',lastName: 'Doe',phone: '1-111-1111'}, 
    {firstName: 'Jane',lastName: 'Doe',phone: '2-222-2222'},
    {firstName: 'Cody',lastName: 'Lindley',phone: '3-333-3333'}
];

var contacts = new Backbone.Collection(contactData,{model:Backbone.Model});
    
//the models property give access to the array that stores models in a collection
console.log(contacts.models);