IF YOU GO• What: Cleveland Geekster toy and comic show• When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4• Where: The Venue Creekside, 527 West Inman St., Cleveland, Tenn.• Admission: $5 (ages 13 and older)• Phone: 423-715-5192• Website: www.clevelandgeekster.comTREASURED TOYSThe following are the 10 highest-priced collectible toys with Buy It Now listings in eBay’s Toys & Hobbies auction section.• 1. “Ghost version” Princess Diana Beanie Baby: up to $652,000• 2. Magic The Gathering “Black Lotus” card rated perfect 10 by Beckett Grading Services: $100,000• 3. Vintage 1930s “Flash Gordon” rocketship: $75,000• 4. Valentino Beanie Baby: $50,000• 5. Limited-edition Luis Vuitton teddy bear: $30,000• 6. Peace Bear Beanie Baby: $30,000• 7. First-edition Robbie the Robot action figure: $28,000• 8. Red and green Strenco Robot from 1955 Nuremberg Toy Fair: $25,000• 9. Vintage Bugatti “Baby” Type 52 electric car: $24,500• 10. Misprint, square-cut “Blastoise” Pokemon card: $21,990.90
Collectible items shown here include comic books, action figures, sports cards, diecast cars, model trains, dolls, tin toys and plastic model kits.In the period that Cleveland, Tenn., has been without a toy and comic show, some toys practically have progressed from new-on-the-shelf to collection-worthy.
Growing up, Ashley Raburn loved wandering aisles of mini-conventions full of vintage toys and silver-age comics, but he can’t remember the last time Cleveland hosted a gathering aimed at those who share his nostalgic bent.
“It’s been at least 10 years,” he says. “As I talked to people, there seemed to be interest in doing some kind of pop-culture event in Cleveland, but no one had done it.”
In March, Raburn joined forces with fellow Cleveland natives Rob Alderman and Ryan Faricelli to create a new event to appeal to collectors. The Cleveland Geekster toy and comic show will take place Saturday, Oct. 4, at The Venue Creekside.