Quote:
Originally Posted by Leader In Sports
For almost any value at all, you need to be able to document the autographs. I would ask when where and how they were obtained. On those white panel balls you need to be careful because sharpie tends to fade over time. Most collectors know the blue fades, but fail to realize the black does too. If a paint pen is used, you have a much better chance of the autograph holding up.
Here is a link to several autograph authenticity guides I wrote a few years back: eBay - Reviews & Guides by leader in sports |
Very true. I have a baseball signed by Elrod Hendricks in a black ball-point pen that has faded into a faint lavender color. Luckily, another ball I have signed by him in black sharpie at a different time is still looking good. They're both around 20 years old. I was never an Orioles fan but I picked up a lot of their autographs at baseball card shows when I was a kid, they're just the closest team. My Jim Palmer is the best, also my first.
Nothing tops my Gibbs autographs though.
