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You may realize how important it is to make sure that you buy nothing but authentic signed baseballs. In fact, that already may be the first thing on your mind. But, do you happen to know the ways you can make sure that your signed ball is authentic?
There are many companies and individual sellers out there who claim to authenticate signatures and many people that will sell you signed balls with pictures claiming that those pictures were taken at the time the baseballs were signed. But of course, who is to say that the seller is not making copies of that picture and giving them to each one of his customers?
There are solid, reputable companies who do have the resources to authenticate autographs from every era. They have thousands of exemplars, experienced staff and the tools necessary to offer a certificate of authenticity. Knowing who those companies are is key.
Major League Baseball has an authentication program in which they guarantee that certain items are genuine and signed by actual players. They provide the sales outlet for certain sports memorabilia companies who have contracts with star players who sign a specific number of autographs, often for a hefty price. Yet you don't have to pay MLB.com prices to get authentic signed sports memorabilia that's just as solid.
Some of the better names you should look for when shopping for signed baseballs are PSA/DNA, James Spence Authentication (JSA), Steiner Sports, Mounted Memories and Upper Deck Authenticated. If you see a ball that isn't authenticated by one of those companies, it's best to look at the seller's feedback and the circumstances surrounding how the ball was obtained. Some autograph authenticators, including PSA and JSA offer a quick opinion service, where they'll look at a signature online and give you a non-binding opinion as to whether it's likely the autograph is genuine or not.
In the end, if you do your research well, you should be pretty confident that your collection is airtight. If at some point you decide to sell, having reputable COAs will make it much easier.
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The easy part may be to know what type of pen to use when getting your baseball autographed, or how to properly store your autographed baseballs. But what about the hard part? How do you get a baseball player to actually sign a baseball for you? How do you set yourself apart from other fans in order to get the attention of your favorite baseball player that you admire?
Let's get some tips on how to increase your chances. If you are a beginning collector of autographed baseballs these tips will be very helpful, matter of fact, they might help the collector who already has some experience.
First, you should come to the ballpark two hours before the first pitch. The gates usually open two hours before the game begins and the players are usually on the field at that time. The best thing is that at that time, there are very few fans and thus your chances for an autograph increase by a lot. If you can find an area where other autograph collectors are congregating, join them. Or, look around the park for an area where there aren't any fans but players are hanging out such as the outfield.
Smile, be polite but proactive, and be creative if you must in attracting the attention of players. Those who willingly sign autographs know what you want, but it never hurts to bring a creative sign or a special item relating to that player's career. He'll appreciate your effort.
Second, figure out where the players parking lot is, and at about 30 minutes after the game, again, when the crowd is gone, try to see if you can catch any players leaving so you can get an autograph.
Third but not least, most teams hold signing events for fans so stay on the lookout for those so you can attend them. If I could recommend one event it would “Fan Fest,” which usually every team has and the events are made so that the fans can interact with players. If you arrive early, you will most likely get at least a few autographs. Be prepared for a long wait, however and some you'll have to pay for...especially if you're chasing superstars like Albert Pujols.
But if you want to save yourself some time or if you don't live near a big league city, you can always purchase a ball signed by your favorite player. After all, the balls that are sold in the links here at Signature Baseballs are just as authentic as the ones you would get in person. You'll build your collection quickly and without a lot of hassle.
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Ok, so you find yourself with an autographed baseball signed with the right kind of ink, one that will make your ball look as crisp as possible for a long time. Now what?
Do you put it on it display as is or is there yet something else you can do to protect that collectible? You bet there is. There is yet one more thing you can do in order to try to preserve your baseball as long as possible, and that is to get a baseball display case.
Not only will a display case keep your autographed baseball from fading, as it will protect it from the rays of the sun and any curious people trying to get their hands on it, the display case will also give your collection an organized and professional look.
There are many storage cases that come with space to be able to write information about the baseball in display. This can prove to be very useful for you if you end up keeping the ball for a long time to come. So that when the day comes, you can easily explain to your grand kids the little story about the baseball and/or the player that you were lucky enough to get a signature from.
So, although a display case may seem like a commodity at first and add some extra expense, it can actually be considered more of a necessity to the dedicated autographed baseball collector.
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Whether you are a current or prospective collector of autographed baseballs, there is one important thing you must know. What is the best writing utensil that you must use when you get a baseball signed by a player?
If you want to preserve the baseball for a long time so that it has the best chance of being worth something in the future, or even if it’s not about the monetary but sentimental value that you are looking to preserve, this is an important but simple choice you can make. Through many years of being a baseball collector, I have seen many people make the wrong choice and use the wrong utensil, it hurts to see it because authentic Major League Baseballs can cost anywhere from $15 to $25, and if you choose the wrong writing utensil, not only can it ruin the autographed ball but it can waste a lot of money.
Now to the simple answer, the general rule is that when you get an autographed ball it should be signed with a BALL POINT PEN. It is that simple!
Now many people choose to use a Sharpie marker, but this is the worst choice of them all. At first, the marker will look great on the ball, but sooner or later that type of ink will run and bleed all over the ball and you will set yourself up for disappointment. This is not to say that pen ink will never run or bleed on baseballs, but, it is the best ink with the best chance to survive for a long time, plus there are additional tips that we can offer so that you can increase the chances of preserving that nice signed ball that you cherish, STAY TUNED for more!
Check our links to auctions and sales for baseballs signed with ballpoint pen. This simple piece of information will give your autographed baseball collection the highest chance of being preserved for a long time.
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Getting a baseball autographed is a lot different than having a piece of paper, photo or baseball card signed and that’s why autographed baseball preservation is key to keeping your item as nice as the day you received it.
The first thing to keep in mind is that while Sharpie markers have become popular for signing, don’t use one if you’re getting a baseball signed. Baseballs signed with a nice ballpoint pen have proven to hold up best over time. Because of its nature as a marker, the Sharpie signed ball will often fade or “melt” over time, leaving your autograph with shadows and an unsightly appearance that will greatly impact the value.
Important step number two when preserving autographed baseballs is one that’s often overlooked: avoid a lot of handling of the baseball with your bare hands, especially if they’re not clean. Even clean hands, though, contain oil from your skin that can fade the signature over time if you take it out and juggle it or carry it around
If you’ve got a signed baseball that’s faded, is it OK to trace over the autograph? NO! Never re-trace an autograph. It’s especially important with older baseballs, because one with signatures that have faded or aren’t as sharp as they once were, is still worth more than one that has been traced over. Most grading companies will reject any baseballs that have been tampered with.
Keep your autographed baseballs in protective display cases and don’t allow direct sunlight to hit them. UV rays will yellow the ball and cause major damage over a long period of time. A little natural light in the room is fine, but don’t let them get a tan.
The best temperature to store them in is 65 to 70 degrees with humidity of about 50%. Of course, some of our homes will be slightly warmer, but it’s best not to keep them in a very warm, humid room.
Follow these steps for autographed baseball preservation and your collection will maintain its value and its appearance for many years.
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By the late 1940s, signed Babe Ruth baseballs were everywhere. The Babe was one of sports' most generous signers and when he died in 1948, there's little doubt he had signed thousands, possibly tens of thousands of autographs, many of which wound up on baseballs.
 If you are a baseball fanatic - and even if you're not, it is common knowledge that Babe Ruth is widely considered the best baseball player of all time. Sure you can argue certain points, but when it comes down to it he still remains the most popular name in baseball history.
At first thought on may think that a baseball signed by the Babe would be a hard item to come by. Truth be told, it is easier than you may think to find a signed babe Ruth baseball. There are probably a couple of different reasons for this.
 1) Ruth was immensely popular from the moment he started playing up to present day. He was known to stop in the middle of whatever he was doing just to sign baseballs. While there are not thousands left, there is still a good number of them available.
2) Getting an autograph was different back then. Ruth was willing to give autographs anywhere and everywhere. Many of today's athletes are not nearly as approachable.
Despite the fact that signed Ruth baseballs are not that hard to come by, they remain one of the most popular - if not the most popular, collectors item around. Serious collectors are willing to go to great lengths to find one and pay huge amounts to purchase a high quality signed Babe Ruth baseball.
Make no mistake; if you are in the market for a baseball signed by Babe Ruth, then you are probably going to pay a pretty penny for it. There are also many team-signed baseballs from the Ruth era that will run you quite a bit of money as well.
The 1927 Yankees - or "Murderers' Row," as they were named are widely considered the best baseball team ever. If you got your hands on a baseball singed by the entire team, you would be holding something that would be nearly priceless in many collectors eyes. Ruth and Lou Gehrig along with the other Hall of Famers on the team by which all others are measured, make it a fantastic item.
How much should you pay for a signed Babe Ruth baseball? It depends on several factors including condition, the quality of the ball, readability of the signature and, of course, provenance/authenticity. Some authentic Ruth signed balls sell for around $3000. One or two others, stuck in drawers and never touched over the decades, have brought as much as $80,000. A readable, authentic Ruth ball, signed on the sweet spot (narrowest point between the laces) generally runs about $6-10,000. Beyond authenticity, condition is everything.
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Few pieces offer a more personal snapshot of a given team at a precise moment in time than a signed team baseball.
Unless dated, old baseball photos can offer only a guess as to when they were taken. An autographed team ball, when all players are represented, can often be pinpointed to a specific month, week or sometimes even a day.
 Stars, semi-stars, and common players are all represented equally. In fact, the autographs of many commons may be harder to come by individually than many stars. While the accomplishments of a team in a given season can be dubious like the 1988 Baltimore Orioles or glorious like a World Series champion Yankees signed ball, the ball autographed by a team represents those accomplishments equally.
Usually, the absence of a signature by a player can help define when a ball was signed due to the date of the transaction either by trade or free agency. Of course, the more stars or Hall of Famers on a ball will result in a greater value and a higher price.
Finding an authentic team signed baseball in great condition can be a bit of a challenge. Because of the nature of the item, if all team members attempt to sign the ball right after one another smudges and smears are likely. These defects not only affect the value of the ball, but may also make authentication nearly impossible.
Depending on the price of the ball in question, a buyer may seek to have a third party authentication service certify the team signed baseball prior to completing purchase. However, a higher valued ball, for example the 1927 Yankees, will likely already have the necessary documentation proving its authenticity. One guideline however, a certificate of authenticity is only as good as the company providing it. Collectors should recognize the name, and perform some research before spending a lot of cash. PSA/DNA, James Spence and others do a generally fine job with authentication.
Team signed baseballs are a great way to recall a World Series year, a record year for wins, or other team accomplishment. Because collectors have favorite teams and favorite players, this type of collectible benefits both desires. Sometimes just reading the names (though handwriting is sometimes questionable) can help a collector recall each individual player and the ups and downs of a baseball campaign.
The nostalgia can be somewhat overwhelming ten years down the road, as these great snapshots of history capture every player that was on the team at that specific moment. Signed team baseballs make for a terrific collecting focus, whether you're collecting All-Star teams, World Series winners, specific teams or those from baseball's storied past.
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Quality autographs, especially those baseballs signed by Hall of Famers, continue to be one of the most collectible pieces of sports memorabilia today.
One of the major reasons for the sustainability of these items is the uniqueness and value of each and every baseball. Some of the factors that contribute to this include the player who signed the ball, how many signatures are on it, and the theme of the baseball in the case of multiple signatures.
The single most important factor in determining the value of a Hall of Famer signed baseball is the player who signed it. Currently, the most in demand autographed baseball is the single-signed Babe Ruth, often considered the “Holy Grail” among collectors. While there are many of them available in today’s marketplace, the value of an authentic Ruth signed baseball continues to skyrocket. This is due his legendary status in the sport, as well as an increased number of forged Ruth baseballs in circulation. These forgeries were created to take advantage of increased prices of Babe Ruth signed baseballs, but ended up raising the prices of the authentic signed baseballs even more.
For many Hall of Fame collectors, the value of a single-signed baseball is preferred over a multi-signed ball. While logic may dictate that more Hall of Fame signatures on one ball might be worth more, this is not the case. The value of a baseball is directly affected by its collectability, and baseballs signed by big names are worth more if there is more demand for them. With signed baseballs, there are usually many more collectors of a specific Hall of Famer than there are collectors of Hall of Fame players in general. As a result, the demand for the single-signed baseballs is greater than the multi-signed baseballs, and therefore more valuable.
However, multi-signed baseballs can also have increased values if they were created around a particular theme, such as a team-signed ball. A team-signed baseball is one that is signed by a specific team from a specific year, allowing for a few discrepancies due to mid-season roster changes. The inclusion of marquee signatures, the placement and quality of those signatures, and the condition of the ball, all directly affect the baseball’s value.
Other popular and valuable themes for multi-signed baseballs include the aforementioned Hall of Famers theme, as well as All Star teams, World Series winners and specific individual achievement themes, such as the 500 Home Run Club, and 300 Wins Club.
As the Hall of Fame continues to add to its roster with a name or two each year, baseballs signed by those players take on added value as members of the most coveted fraternity in baseball. It's a special group--still relatively small--and for collectors, the ultimate focus.
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The spring 2010 catalog auction being conducted by Robert Edward Auctions will include some very rare signed baseballs.
In addition to autographed items from all eras, and signed photos of legends such as Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, the collection of hobby pioneer Larry Killeen, assembled with great care over a span of decades beginning in the 1950s, will be featured.
The collection includes thousands of autographs and is especially noteworthy for its remarkable level of quality throughout and its inclusion of hundreds of Hall of Fame signatures, including checks, photos, letters, and one of the most advanced collections of signed Hall of Fame postcards ever assembled.
The auction also presents an extremely impressive collection of particularly rare and noteworthy single-signed Hall of Fame balls, including Warren Giles, Chuck Klein, Ed Walsh, Bill Klem, Tom Connolly Willie Wells, Hilton Smith, Elmer Flick, Tris Speaker, Harry Hooper, Chick Hafey, and Sam Crawford, in addition to spectacular high-grade examples of Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb.
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A single-signed John F. Kennedy baseball sold over the weekend at Hunt Auctions' latest sale.
The ball h ad originally been presented to former Washington Senators' manager Mickey Vernon during one of JFK's opening day first pitch tosses between 1961 and '63. The family of the late big leaguer consigned the ball and a number of other items to the auction.
The final bid, including a 15% buyer's premium, was $26,450.
The ball was personalized to Vernon and had faded a bit over the years.
A game bat signed by Joe DiMaggio and presented to Vernon in the early 1950s, sold for $35,650, the top price among the 800+ items sold by the auction house.
A baseball in superior condition, signed by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris brought $15,306 while a ball signed by 13 members of the 1930 Yankees including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, sold for $9200.
While signed baseballs from Kennedy are extremely rare, players like Mantle signed thousands--especially after their playing days ended. Mantle was a regular on the sports card show circuit throughout the mid-1980s to early 90s.
Despite the large number of signed Mickey Mantle baseballs on the market, the demand still outweighs the supply in most cases. Mantle balls are among the most counterfeited, however, so collectors and fans are encouraged to buy only those carrying professional authentication.
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