Quote:
Originally Posted by markf31
Yes, it concerns me as well that baseballs can self destruct over time despite our best efforts to preserve them and that is one of my biggest concerns as I embark on my journey of collecting autos. Richard's point is well taken that the majority of his collection is flat items.
I'm a little torn right now, I do like the appeal of a signed ball over a flat item but the thought that 20 years from now any number of the autographed balls I acquire will become worthless.
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I was surprised by Richards comment that old balls took a sudden turn. I think this is pretty uncommon. As I stated previously, I think most of the degradation from internal factors will happen relatively early in the lifespan.
For instance, a Mantle ball signed in the 80s that has retained a nice even appearance is unlikely to now suddenly develop ugly blotchy stains. I wouldn't worry too much about an old ball that has aged gracefully.
I would be concerned about paying $500 for a recently signed Koufax for example. Who knows how that will look in 15 years?
Maybe if you focus on balls that have some age to them but still look good, you will have minimized the odds of self destruction.