Meet Steve Harris: Inside the Collection
Steve Harris has a little bit of everything in his unique collection, featuring lunch boxes, toys, comic books and more.
Aug. 7, 2023
Steve Harris collects many things; Comic books, band merchandise, lunch boxes and other pop culture toys and memorabilia. His goal is not to have the most items but the best of the best, which he's succeeded at so far.
Steve is here to show us some of his perfectly curated collections which he has been working on building since the '70s. He's a firm believer in surrounding yourself with what makes you happy – and he and his wife, Diana Harris, are very happy.
Diana was even on a previous episode of Collector's Call, where she showed off her impressive Barbie collection. Together they make a dream team with some of the most rare collectibles in existence.
Everything in his collection means something to him; find out the memories and stories behind each of the items as we take you through a tour of Steve's collection of all things pop culture. Take a look!
1. Plane wreckage from Lost
This screen-used prop is used as part of the plane wreckage in the 2004 series Lost. This prop used to be a real airplane made of titanium and steel.
They tore up a whole airplane for the first season, scattered the parts out on the beach seen in the series, and made it look like part of the wreckage.
This piece went up for auction in 2010 after the show ended. Steve is a huge fan of the show, so he knew he had to have a piece of it for himself.
Steve built a community around Lost. He liked the series because it was a mystery and would host watch parties for each episode.
This piece brings back great memories for Steve. It's also a great conversation piece as well as an iconic piece of TV history.
Today this item would be worth around $15,000. Only five of these are available, and thousands of people would like to collect it. Are you one of them?
2. The Beatles "Yellow Submarine" lunch box and thermos
This "Yellow Submarine" lunch box could be seen in Steve's office, which is filled with many pop culture collectibles. This is a 1986 "Yellow Submarine" lunch box made by Thermos, with the thermos itself included.
This was Steve's actual lunch box growing up. He believes his mom only paid around 25 cents for it. What a deal!
Steve didn't have the thermos as a kid but acquired it about 10 to 15 years ago to complete this piece. This item is a rare find, and as Lisa said, "It's not about the box; It's about the thermos."
This piece would be worth around $1,000 today with the thermos included. That is one hot lunch!
3. Fantastic Four comic art
This is one of the comic books from Steve's childhood. This is the Fantastic Four #138 from 1973. It features beautiful early artwork as well as three of the main characters and all the action a kid (and adult) could want.
He bought this comic book at San Diego Comic Con around 2009. When Steve was a kid, he wanted to be a graphic artist. So, this comic book meant a lot to him.
Steve loves these rare comic books so much that he keeps them in portfolios in a safe. Talk about dedication.
Today this comic book would be worth around $1,500 because comic book art has exploded in popularity over the past few years.
4. Major Matt Mason set
Who remembers playing with these Major Matt Mason toys? This is not Steve's original set that he has a kid, but they still mean a lot to him.
When Steve was growing up, he said astronauts were the superheroes of his time. These toys were not made to last, so the fact that Steve's are in mint condition says a lot about the care he puts into his collection.
These toys were made as part of the space program and inspired an entire generation of die-hard Matt Mason fans.
Because space-based toys are now making a comeback, this set would be worth around $500 today. This item took some hunting, but Steve says that's the best part of collecting.
5. 1977 Kiss toy guitar
This is a 1977 Kiss toy guitar. According to Steve, these toys would break easily, they weren't very durable and it's almost impossible to find one of these guitars with the strings and sticker still intact.
This piece has both the sticker and strings completely intact, making it a very rare item to own. Steve believes he is only the second owner to have this toy guitar, and the first owner kept it hanging on a wall, away from harm.
Both Steve and our expert are members of the Kiss Army. Are you? Maybe you could try to convince Lisa to enlist.
Today this Kiss guitar would be worth around $1,152.
6. Kiss model van kit
This is a 1977 Kiss custom Chevy van model kit. It is completely unassembled and has all the original stickers and parts.
This item is in mint condition. It was one of Steve's holy grail pieces, and you can see the care he has put into preserving it for years to come.
They used to sell these model vans for only around $5 in the '70s. It's valuable today because it appeals to two types of collectors: Model and Kiss collectors.
Today this item would be worth around $600.
7. The total value of Steve Harris' collection:
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