While all of the top comic book-centric auction houses and most of the top tier dealers have offered outstanding examples of the significant Marvel and DC issues, it’s always refreshing to get a pleasant reminder that there have been and are many other publishers across a multitude of genres.

Once such signal recently came with Doug Schmell, the President and CEO of Pedigree Comics, announced that his company had landed a major Harvey Comics collection and that it would be offered in their January Grand Auction.

The offering, which will begin on the night of Monday, January 26, 2015 and last for ten days until the night of Thursday, February 5, will be featured on the Pedigree Comics website.

Scoop talked with Schmell about the collection and the unique place that Casper, Richie Rich, and the rest of the Harvey characters hold for collectors.

Scoop: Doug, we’ve been noting the selection of high grade Harvey issues you have in your upcoming Grand Auction. What’s the story behind this collection?
Doug Schmell (DS): The consignor, who is in his mid-fifties, remembers first seeing these Harvey titles as a kid during the summer, while he was at sleep away camp. As opposed to the superhero books he constantly saw during the school year, it was always Harveys and Archies that filled up the bunks for reading, either having been sent by the parents or brought up during visiting day.

Years later, in the early 1980s, when the consignor began collecting comics in earnest and seeing these Harvey titles, it took him back to those fun summers at camp and he decided to start collecting them. He made the decision to only go after high grade copies and wound up buying as many of these he could find and when the publisher’s file copies were made available, he bought as many of them as he could find. Over the past 30 plus years, he has not only been able to track down many of the highest graded copies in existence, he also made a point of seeking out all the rare issues that were not available in any grade. Some of these are in lower grade but are still the only copies graded and appearing on the CGC census to date.  

His favorite characters were always Hot Stuff and Spooky, so he made it his business to put together the finest runs of these titles. Both are among the best runs he has put together and are #1 on the CGC Registry.

It was not an easy decision to let his prized Harvey Comics go, but he felt it was time and he hopes the books will wind up helping other collectors fill the gaps in their runs and CGC Registry sets and that they can enjoy these books with the same love and passion that he did.

Scoop: How much a fan of the Harvey line before you landed this collection?
DS: I was never a Harvey fan or collector. It was always Marvels and some horror titles but that was it. I knew about these titles and that many of the issues available were file copies but not much more.

Scoop: Now that you’ve had the collection a while as you’ve been getting ready for your auction, how has it surprised you?
DS: It has surprised me in the depth of the runs, the consistent high grades (average grade is 9.5 if said grade existed or 9.6) plus the number of file copies he was able to obtain. Amazingly, well over 90% of the collection consists of Harvey Publication file copies, all unread and uncirculated comics in flawless condition. He was relentless in obtaining these file copies from all different dealers, auction houses, conventions, eBay from all over the world, etc.

Scoop: Has it caused you to think differently about the Harveys at all?
DS: Most definitely. I didn’t realize how cool these books are and how old the titles are (almost all start in the late ‘50s and beginning of the ‘60s, before the Marvel Age of comics even began). Plus, I didn’t realize how many guys (and gals) collect these titles. I couldn’t believe, when I looked at the CGC Registry, how many different sets and registrants there are. Most of the individual Harvey titles have at least 15 different registered sets which is truly amazing.

Scoop: Have any of the issues really jumped out at you or is it more a case of just the collection as a whole being impressive in your opinion?
DS: The collection as a whole. Although there are a number of keys, it’s the individual runs of each title that is most impressive, especially when you see 40 consecutive issues in 9.4 and higher and all are file copies!

Scoop: Harvey collectors might not be the biggest group in the collecting arena, but they are dedicated. Have you heard from new potential bidders since you announced these offerings or has it just been your regular client base?
DS: I have. A few people have emailed me plus the consignor himself, well known on the CGC Registry, reached out to a bunch of other Harvey Registry Set holders and received positive feedback, etc.

Scoop: How about in terms of consignors or potential consignors? Have your heard from other folks with high grade Harveys or similar material?
DS: Not yet. I will, however, as most of the people who will be buying these books in the auction are collectors and not dealers. Many of them will be upgrading inferior copies and will now want to sell the under copies. As such, they will become new customers and potential consignors. I am hoping that when they see the success of the auction and the professional way in which Pedigree Comics promotes and runs these live auctions, they will want to be a part of it if when are ready to sell individual issues or their entire collection.

Scoop: What would you pick as the real stand out issues in the collection?
DS: There are a few: Baby Huey and Papa #1 9.8, Casper the Friendly Ghost #5 9.2, Harvey Hits #4 9.2, Harvey Hits #9 9.0, Hot Stuff #1 6.5, Hot Stuff #8 9.6, Little Dot #6 Qualified 7.5, Little Dot Dotland #1 9.6, Richie Rich #1 8.0, Richie Rich #5 9.6, Richie Rich #6 9.4, Richie Rich #8 9.6, Richie Rich Millions #1 9.6, Spooky #1 9.0, Wendy Witch World #1 9.6, and Wendy, the Good Little Witch #1 9.2. most of these books are the highest graded copy according to the CGC census.

Scoop: What ones might be sleepers?
DS: Good question. I would say the early issues (#1-#20) of Hot Stuff, Spooky, Richie Rich, and especially Little Dot plus the very early issues of some of the square-bounds titles (Richie Rich Millions, Casper’s Ghostland, Hot Stuff Sizzlers). These are all basically impossible to find and they are only available from Harvey’s files. You can basically forget finding a high grade issue that is not a file copy. Also, the St. John’s issues (Little Audrey and Casper the Friendly Ghost) are incredibly tough to find and no file copies, upon information and belief, are available.

Scoop: What’s your personal favorite Harvey issue, and why?
DS: I would have to say Hot Stuff #1. That’s just such an awesome cover and issue and it’s really hard to find in any grade (only 25 issues graded to date). I also think Hot Stuff is such an underrated and iconic character (that little devil!).