HICKORY - For those with a hankering for a vintage "Lost in Space" helmet, a bat signed by Don Mattingly or an antique tin wind-up car, the Hickory Metro Convention Center was the place to be Saturday.

More than 150 tables loaded with vintage toys from the 1940s and '50s sat beside glass cases crammed with sports cards and racks of Hot Wheels cars at the Foothills Antique and Collectable Toy-Hobby-NASCAR-Sportscard Show.

"This show started out at the fairgrounds about 20 years ago and it's been in the convention center for the last seven years," said Ray Mozingo of Raleigh, who put the show together. Most of the time the show draws about 400 to 700 adults. "We're down a little bit because of the gas and the economy, but we're still pretty full," he said.

Ron Causey of Summerfield was on hand with an extensive supply of Beverly Hillbillies and Tom and Jerry merchandise lined up across his tables. "I've got everything from Mickey Mouse to monsters to toys from classic TV series and space toys," said Causey.

During the week, Causey's a bricklayer, but on the weekend he indulges his passion for toys. "I make my money at toy shows, and I lay bricks as a hobby," joked Causey.

"I have a pretty awesome collection of toys. What I make here I'll just re-invest in stuff I like," Causey said, adding, "I have three storage buildings that are plumb full."

Causey said most of his customers are trying to buy the toys they had as kids. "Cartoon Network has helped vintage sales a lot — especially with kids."

Mozingo breaks down the typical attendees into three categories. Those who buy antique and vintage toys as an investment compose the smallest of the categories. Then there are those who buy the toys they used to have as children for the nostalgia of it, and the serious buyers who purchase collectable toys as a hobby.

Mozingo got into the hobby as a kid. He was a die-hard Yankee fan and, even though he's in the business of selling sports cards and signed memorabilia these days, there's no way he'll ever part with his Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams signed baseballs.

Like most of the other vendors in attendance, Mozingo's primary concern was making sure he and everyone else enjoyed themselves. "We just encourage everybody to come out and have a good time reminiscing about the toys they used to have when they were younger," said Mozingo.

The show is held three times a year. The next one will be coming to Hickory on March 14..   [top]