Fading ink, feels bad man

[isaac2004]

First off, I took an extended break from autos of any kind for like 5 years. I got overwhelmed with hunting and trying to complete collections and got burnt out. I got married, have 2 boys and am happy with my life.

I have a plastic tub that holds my autographed baseball collection. I was going through it, and came across the below baseballs that I was successful with a TTM request. These autos are great because they have the hit inscription which is a collection I have (3000 hit club). They have no been in the sun in years and yet they are faded to hell. I am certain the issue is the ball I chose (cheap China ball I was ok with never getting back). Are these a lost cause? Anything I can do to stop them from fading further?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N2k...w?usp=drivesdk

[Leon]

Yikes. I have no idea but that is a shame.

[mrmopar]

I don't think there is much you can do. The ink bleeds on those cheap balls. I have a few similar to that myself.

In hindsight, I dodged a bullet by not getting a cherished in person signature as a kid, as the player left early. I was crushed at the time and have since gotten multiple signatures and had that long awaited meeting in person. Had I gotten the signature at the time though, it would have been on one of those crappy souvenir balls and I'd be thinking the same thing as you today.

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

I don't think there is much you can do. The ink bleeds on those cheap balls. I have a few similar to that myself.

In hindsight, I dodged a bullet by not getting a cherished in person signature as a kid, as the player left early. I was crushed at the time and have since gotten multiple signatures and had that long awaited meeting in person. Had I gotten the signature at the time though, it would have been on one of those crappy souvenir balls and I'd be thinking the same thing as you today.

Is there a place to get non China baseballs in bulk for a non insane cost?

[packs]

I would suggest you bite the bullet on the cost of official MLB baseballs. This issue isn't contained to only one brand. I think you'll run into the same fading no matter what cheaper option you buy.

[Dewey]

I stopped collecting signed baseballs because of this fear, even though I only used official baseballs. Not sure my fear was rational if using official balls, but it is what it is. Though I can report no fading.

Total bummer. Sorry that happened. Definitely worth ponying up if you want to keep going. Those boys might be happy you did.

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by Dewey

I stopped collecting signed baseballs because of this fear, even though I only used official baseballs. Not sure my fear was rational if using official balls, but it is what it is. Though I can report no fading.

Total bummer. Sorry that happened. Definitely worth ponying up if you want to keep going. Those boys might be happy you did.

Getting in person autos with official balls is fine becuase I'm holding it the whole time. TTM is a whole different animal because I am not even guaranteed to get it back unsigned.

[Huysmans]

Just go over the signatures yourself with dark ink.... good as new!

[ChiSoxTony]

The issue is definitely the type of ball you used. Official ROMLB's are the only way to go. There are still problems with bleeding sometimes (and I won't even start the conversation about what type of pen to use), but NOT the type of fading that you are seeing.

IMO, it's better to send out a ROMLB and risk losing it than to get a cheapo ball back that fades. Plus, there are many TTM sites that tell you what return percentages are for signers, so you can cut down the risk of losing a ball significantly.

[SetBuilder]

Probably cheap synthetic "PU leather," a/k/a polyurethane leather.

Nasty stuff. Basically foam.

[Runscott]

As a kid I bought a nice-looking but cheap baseball to get the 1973 Reds to sign. One panel was beautiful and still is. The other started fading slowly until now it's just a blank panel, including a beautiful 'Johnny Bench'.

Sorry to bring more bad news. This is why I don't buy fading autographed balls, even when they look okay today.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxTony

The issue is definitely the type of ball you used. Official ROMLB's are the only way to go. There are still problems with bleeding sometimes (and I won't even start the conversation about what type of pen to use), but NOT the type of fading that you are seeing.

IMO, it's better to send out a ROMLB and risk losing it than to get a cheapo ball back that fades. Plus, there are many TTM sites that tell you what return percentages are for signers, so you can cut down the risk of losing a ball significantly.

ROMLB balls is not a guarantee that the signature will not fade. I have a few signatures on 150 plus baseballs that are all but gone, while others signatures are bright and crisp. Ink, leather, signing pressure, whether the person palmed the ball (oils), storage are factors in the fading issue. I always had the person sign a ball but once I saw the fading of balls stored in complete darkness, I stopped getting balls signed.

[Runscott]

True about all of those things but starting off with the best ball possible improves your odds.

I also have a ball that I had two different teams sign, randomly on either panel but with two different pens, back in the early '70s. One team is minty fresh and the other faded quickly to a barely acceptable level then stopped.

Good pen + good ball = good results

[Case12]

I am resurrecting this thread with a slightly different question. I notice online that blue bleeding signature balls OMLB are showing up all over the place. JSA, PSA, Beckett signings. Sometimes dozens from the same signings. And the asking price are still mid to high. (If you want an example, see Willie McCovey on eBay). But, frankly, aren't these balls really worthless?

[packs]

The balls I saw when I searched were all unofficial made in China baseballs.

[Case12]

I checked a few other players. You are right. I will see if there are any that are OMLB. Either way, they probably keep getting worse? They are mostly worthless when faded, right? So why even try to sell them?

[Case12]

These are all OMLB and JSA.

[OldOriole]

Case, the problem on the balls you posted is not the ball, it's the type of pen that was used. Some pens lend themselves to bleeding into the medium on which they're signed.

[Yastrzemski Sports]

Originally Posted by OldOriole

Case, the problem on the balls you posted is not the ball, it's the type of pen that was used. Some pens lend themselves to bleeding into the medium on which they're signed.

Absolutely. They should be a blue ball point pen. They’re all sharpie.

[Case12]

If I see one of these online, then they aren't worth spending money on as they are worthless? (There is a Carl Yaz one online that is a nice signature, but it it is already starting to bleed).

[Fuddjcal]

I have about 30 balls displayed in a case on the wall in my office. It is pretty bright in there most of the time and my autograph photos fade too.

So, All the selig balls that were signed in bic are almost completely faded off. Including a graded 9.5 Mays that you cant see. McCovey completely gone. Losing Ripken and Ryan too. Yogi Berra 9, GONE.

The funny thing is, The NL and AL balls from the 80's with the bold pen are still bold being stored right next to the new balls. It's pretty amazing the new signatures on the new balls completely vanish. POOF>

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Case12

If I see one of these online, then they aren't worth spending money on as they are worthless? (There is a Carl Yaz one online that is a nice signature, but it it is already starting to bleed).

coming from a guy who buys a ton of worthless stuff, it must be really bad.

[Case12]

[QUOTE=Fuddjcal;1878837]coming from a guy who buys a ton of worthless stuff, it must be really bad.

😁🤔 You caught me again😁

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by OldOriole

Case, the problem on the balls you posted is not the ball, it's the type of pen that was used. Some pens lend themselves to bleeding into the medium on which they're signed.

Unfortunately it sometimes takes a while to discover that you used a bad pen. I had a cheap ball signed in 1972 and a high quality signed in 1973 using two different pens. All signatures on one panel of the '72 ball faded to nothing. All the ones on the other panel still look perfect. On the 1973 ball, the signatures I got the Phillies autographs with are perfect, the ones I got the Giants with a month later are all bleeding - 'bleeding' is different from 'fading'.

Lots of variables, but always use an OMLB baseball, and even then the wrong pen can result in bleeding. I don't know how the ink in my ball-point pens differed - I would guess one was higher water content?

[Fuddjcal]

[QUOTE=Case12;1879080]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

coming from a guy who buys a ton of worthless stuff, it must be really bad.

😁🤔 You caught me again😁

And I should talk with all the worthless faded balls.