Mantle Ball - UDA vs PSA 9

[Fuddjcal]

You'd really have to buy the autograph and not the stupid sticker. The one thing about the upperdeck balls he signed is that they tone like a bit**, right in the bag and box they come in. Even if they are never displayed. It is almost impossible to find a so called UD "9".

The funny thing about some of the Bobby Brown AL balls is that if they haven't toned by now, usually they won't. same with the signature.

Signatures on selig balls that are graded will almost always fade over time for some reason, but the OLD balls that do not have a propensity for toning, somehow won't & don't?

As an owner of 10 Mantle balls, I would never pay a premium for a graded ball...EVER. I think it's moronic. My favorite Mantle balls are ones that are SNOW WHITE with-out some stupid sticker and they were purchased for a fraction of the cost of a stupid PSA 9, and much much nicer. Yes I have a PSA and a couple JSA Mantles thrown in there, but that's only because I was still learning his signature when I purchased them years ago. They almost always get Mantle right at least. Good luck.

[ATP]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

You'd really have to buy the autograph and not the stupid sticker. The one thing about the upperdeck balls he signed is that they tone like a bit**, right in the bag and box they come in. Even if they are never displayed. It is almost impossible to find a so called UD "9".

The funny thing about some of the Bobby Brown AL balls is that if they haven't toned by now, usually they won't. same with the signature.

Signatures on selig balls that are graded will almost always fade over time for some reason, but the OLD balls that do not have a propensity for toning, somehow won't & don't?

As an owner of 10 Mantle balls, I would never pay a premium for a graded ball...EVER. I think it's moronic. My favorite Mantle balls are ones that are SNOW WHITE with-out some stupid sticker and they were purchased for a fraction of the cost of a stupid PSA 9, and much much nicer. Yes I have a PSA and a couple JSA Mantles thrown in there, but that's only because I was still learning his signature when I purchased them years ago. They almost always get Mantle right at least. Good luck.

No dog at all in this fight, but you quote you bought a few psa and jsa mantles when you were still learning, so why berate someone in a similar position. As an aside, to the OP, if you find a Mantle ball you really like, not authenticated, and want reassurance, pm me and I can tell you almost with certainty if it is real. You will probably get a steal of a price too as non authenticated mantles sell all the time on ebay for low prices.

[w7imel]

Scott that was my question for you guys. I had always heard that the bobby brown bals some of them were flawed due to leather being processed in non distilled water. I was wondering from you guys if you belive this to be true as well. thanks. And was definatly not ignoreing you. Value your opionion very much....mike

[shelly]

Originally Posted by w7imel

Scott that was my question for you guys. I had always heard that the bobby brown bals some of them were flawed due to leather being processed in non distilled water. I was wondering from you guys if you belive this to be true as well. thanks. And was definatly not ignoreing you. Value your opionion very much....mike

It is true

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by w7imel

Scott that was my question for you guys. I had always heard that the bobby brown bals some of them were flawed due to leather being processed in non distilled water. I was wondering from you guys if you belive this to be true as well. thanks. And was definatly not ignoreing you. Value your opionion very much....mike

Mike, Shelly has said "it is true", so there's our answer, and it makes sense. When I attempted to flatten the leather panels I removed from a '56 baseball, I was told by a leather expert that I should use distilled water.

[w7imel]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Mike, Shelly has said "it is true", so there's our answer, and it makes sense. When I attempted to flatten the leather panels I removed from a '56 baseball, I was told by a leather expert that I should use distilled water.

I came accross an article years back on internet about it was due to like a 6 year period of production in Haiti that they didnt use distilled water that aided in this problem. and im talking more like toning splotches more than I am talking about a natural leather aging. The splotches I have on some of my balls from that time period look like light patches here and there on balls. And I have never handled them or had them in direct sunlight. This is a pretty good thread we have kept going for sure

[shelly]

Jason, I went at look at the most resent steiner. I am sorry to say that I think age has become a factor and he signiture really has changed for the worst.

[w7imel]

Try pitching a ball a million times in a lifetime im guessing anyones hands would shake. I saw John Elway on tv after retirement his hand seemed to shake as well as he said he cant lift his throwing arm above shoulder height. The price these atheletes bodies pay is unreal

[djson1]

Originally Posted by shelly

Jason, I went at look at the most resent steiner. I am sorry to say that I think age has become a factor and he signiture really has changed for the worst.

Shelly, If the one I posted is authentic, then I'm surprised it deteriorated so quickly....but personally, I still wouldn't buy one that looks like the one I posted above. Koufax' signature (at least up until a couple of years ago) looked much better than this. If his hand has gotten that bad, that's really a shame as he had one of the nicer signatures IMO.
I guess the same has happened to Hank Aaron's as well. I never realized it got so bad until a few years ago.

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by ATP

No dog at all in this fight, but you quote you bought a few psa and jsa mantles when you were still learning, so why berate someone in a similar position. As an aside, to the OP, if you find a Mantle ball you really like, not authenticated, and want reassurance, pm me and I can tell you almost with certainty if it is real. You will probably get a steal of a price too as non authenticated mantles sell all the time on ebay for low prices.

Thank you so much for the offer. If i find one, i'll take you up.