You're right about wearing gloves, not only does the oil and other contaminants discolor the panels, but the acidity can fade, lift, and degrade the ink of the signature significantly over time, especially when subjected to light.
Hey....I saw one of the autographs on one of your baseballs and........ ........but for real...this was THE BEST video I’ve seen from my subscribers in a LONG time. Due to many of the things you mentioned late, along with storage, I don’t collect autos on baseballs (flats for me) but it is a whole different world. Single signed, team signed, etc. Two huge things you didn’t mention is Ghost Sigs/Clubhouse signatures and identifying factors on a ball kilt the stitches/stamp to place a ball to an era. But absolutely loved it! Love to see what you have! You’ll be seeing me come out with something soon on autograph collecting as well. Ps. Ron K is a great resource. I have an item from him used in his book. But even he arguably got a thing wrong or two in book.
Thank you for the very kind words! You are right, now that you mention those things they totally slipped my mind and should have been added. But of course there are so many sides to this hobby. Looking forward to your vid. Thanks for commenting!
Awesome video and couldn't have watched this at a better time! I used to collect autographed baseballs and had the majority of my collection stolen several years back. Have been looking recently to get a few back into my collection. Any recommendations on displays that offer good protection while allowing you to view the auto's?
Absolutely fantastic advice! You are a modern day Aristotle. I think that you should start a documentary Channel now that you have capture the attention of the Americas.
Nice video for putting the discussion of collecting autographs. I have been collecting for 44 years off and on. My niche is collecting vintage aka playing days plays. The 1980’s ushered in an abundance of autograph baseballs signings at shows. Certain players whom were not adequately paid during their times especially during the 1920’s to 1960’s. They were able to making a living signing everything in the late 80’s into 90’s . Example would be an autograph by such Hall of Famers as George Kell or Bob Feller. Playing day’s baseballs allow me to enjoy the period they played or prior baseballs before 198 4. Scarcity of certain autographs on these balls.
Appreciate you checking out the video! I have taken a short break from collecting baseballs but intend to return to it in time. It's a lot of fun to go after signatures from playing days.
Thank you for a very useful video. I have a question for you. 1. As far as a certification from the third party like JSA or Beckett, do you think a “witnessed” type is reliable? I know that these company made some mistakes authenticating fake autographs. I think if I purchase a “witnessed” one instead of “authenticated” one, it will be pretty much authentic. I just want to hear from a collector on this. Thanks.
Fantastic video Alex!! I really enjoyed this! I collected autographed baseballs for many many years. Getting them signed in person. Due to storage contraints and preservation concerns I have slowly moved out of that segment of the hobby. At one time I owned over 500 autographed balls.... way too many 😂😂😂 The cool thing for me now is I can pass them along to others who appreciate them! With your laser focus and ability to select quality items your collection is among my favorite 2 or 3 collections on TH-cam.... well done brother 👊🏻
Thanks man. I hear you and totally empathize. There are times when I wonder why I have gotten these things given how much goes into trying to keep them in good shape. Do you have any left from your collection? I might lift a few from you if you are selling!
@@bowman53 Alex, I have a sizable collection -- too big -- and wouldn't mind trimming it a bit. I have a lot of HOF balls too, if you're interested. My email is rarcher@csuchico.edu if you want to send me a list of what you're looking for.
Fantastic video!! Just came across your channel and I have to say wow! amazing content!! Perfect research and knowledge for collectors to use. Can’t wait to binge watch your videos!
BOWMAN53 yes I collect autograph baseballs, game used baseballs and bats, also collect high grade PSA cards from the 1950-80s. I’ve been gathering ideas about starting a channel and I appreciate how you incorporate the vintage clips and radio sound bites. I want to eventually share my collection while also telling a story about the history of the game and how it relates to how I collect.
@@justinjohnson9293 Sounds good man. I hope you'll take the plunge! If you ever want to bounce ideas off me and talk memorabilia or TH-cam, let me know.
Great video, and thank you for pointing out to wear gloves when handling the balls. I have over 100 signed HOF baseballs dating back to the late 80's and very few have spots or toning, and I attribute that to not touching them with my bare hands.
Thanks so much. That was the perfect video at the perfect time for me, as I've recently tripled my baseball collection and I haven't yet decided on how to store them all. Good stuff, sir.
My dad and I use the cubes, but we are going to drill a small hole in the side of each cube to let the balls breathe. We have them in rubbermade bins. Wondering if a couple holes should be put into the those bins too? Thoughts?
That is a good question. Drilling holes may improve the overall air flow and its effect on the baseballs. The bottom line is that the leather used to make the baseballs needs to breathe in order to lessen the effects of toning over time. That means storage in as dark an area as possible, in a temperate controlled space (not the basement or attic!), away from mold and mildew. Whatever you do, just make sure you keep an eye on the condition of your baseballs over time - taking sample photos every few months may be a good idea. There's going to be natural aging no matter what, but you can at least control it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks for all the tips especially the glove one. My only question is where can I buy those cases for the balls that let them breath and how much do they cost?
Hello Alex, great great video. I love to watch your video. Thanks for sharing your experience about collecting autographed baseball. I have just purchased a Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams baseball and i don't know if the auto are real or not. Many fakes about the legendaries players. All the Best and Happy Collecting.
Alex, this was an incredibly well-produced, enjoyable, and informative video! The archival storage boxes are a great suggestion I was not familiar with! I, too, really enjoy collecting autograph baseballs; however, I create a lot self-induced “pressure” to maximize their conservation. Collecting cards is much easier in that respect, but I agree, there’s nothing as special or endearing as your favourite player signing a baseball!
Thanks so much! Something I've wanted to put together for a while. I hear you re: the pressures. Fortunately my OCD tendencies enjoys the challenges of preservation haha.
Alex I really enjoyed this video. It was well done, you made some great points, had great advice, and was very interesting! I am going to take the advice on a few things, thanks Alex!
great video alex. fantastic. one question. if you're going to meet a player in person today. what do you recommend what kind of pen to use? ball pointt fine, or a roller gel blue pen. they do tend to smear if you touch right away but if you let dry a few minutes they're ok i like the look of the blue roller gel pens better. they are brighter and a little thicker than the fine point pen. your thoughts?
Thanks Ray - I agree, the gel pen has a much nicer look overall, but like you said could be smudged pretty easily. The ball point pen signatures are less appealing to look at, but might be the safer bet. I think if you're extremely careful about it, going for the gel pen can work.
Thank you so much for producing this video! I know I had asked you a bunch of questions and you have bundled all that up in one great video. I took notes and you gave me a lot to think about. One more question.....is there a reference guide for autographed ball prices? Again Alex I really appreciate your putting this together. I will be starting my journey guided by this wisdom!
Thanks Chuck! There may be, but I am unaware of it. I really go by what I track online both on ebay and through sites like sportsmemorabilia.com. By tracking a player over time you will begin to get a sense of what pricing is common and what is astronomically off base.
Also if you want to see a collection that will blow you away and get you in the mood for collecting, check out this video: th-cam.com/video/r7HTcJgC0vc/w-d-xo.html
Great video My Grandpa has a 1955 baseball signed by Dodgers and Giants Jackie Robinson & Roy Campanella included Due to covid shows aren’t happening We plan to get it authenticated so we can sell it Nervous to send it out to companies as aware it could be swapped out for a fake Do you have anyone in Los Angeles you can recommend for valuation authentication and auction? Thanks man
Great vid Alex, I have over 40 HOF'ers and future HOF'ers all on the sweet spot. The spotting and toning is bound to happen. Where did you get the big corrugated box?
Found 2 balls bottom of true trash One can't recognize Second ball woman's league lots of signatures How cute Then we start recognizing names Bubbles... I think this is a real ball from the peaches and pumas a league of these own Called a museum in NY They freaked out at three names never on the ball they want this piece of history How do I keep it stored,how do I insure it,
If I were in your shoes, I would first try to identify each signature on my own, and perhaps try to track down someone within your region to have a look at it in person as well. Then ultimately have it authenticated by one of the major houses (PSADNA for example).
Great video Alex! You covered just about everything you could on this topic. Collecting baseballs is what ive been doing for quite a while now so i can appreciate it. Ive already started to get back into it. My focus will be to work on my prime 9. If you remember mlb channel used to have a show called prime 9, top 9. So i think im going with this for every position. My top9 in every position. Let me know what you think. Again very well done video my friend.
Really great video Alex. In the amount of time that you have owned that Ted Williams ball, has it faded? Do some autographs end up fading completely or almost completely off the ball even in climate controlled situation?
Thanks Gary. No, I've only had the Williams for a couple of years but it's holding firm. I could be wrong but the older signatures I have seem to be consistent in that any fading they're going to experience has already happened (assuming they don't experience any massive light or temp shifts). Whereas newer signatures are still vulnerable and will experience more fading over time. I'm sure some autos can disappear depending on the ink used and the type of baseball, but couldn't tell you exactly which factors cause that to happen.
Hi Bink. Thought I'd let you know that in my experience (I have about 150 signed balls that I have taken very good care of, doing pretty much everything Alex recommends in this video) it's somewhat unpredictable what will happen to them, even ones signed recently. I had a Roy Halladay PG ball I got about 5 years ago that has faded away almost entirely, and a similar thing happened to a Craig Biggio ball. Both of them I got through MLB Auctions. But other balls I've gotten through MLB Auctions have held up beautifully for some time now. I also got balls signed in person by Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Larry Doby, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Stan Musial about 30 years ago and those still look like they were signed yesterday. I actually wound up getting several Musial balls because his signature was so great -- and he was was a really classy person -- and some of have stood up well and others have faded. So, long story short, no matter how well you take care of your autographs some will stand the test of time very well and others might just fade away.
I REALLY enjoyed this video. What’s your email man? I have some stuff w/ my auto’d baseball collection I’d love to chat with you about! Until then or otherwise, thanks for sharing man!
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
You're right about wearing gloves, not only does the oil and other contaminants discolor the panels, but the acidity can fade, lift, and degrade the ink of the signature significantly over time, especially when subjected to light.
Agreed! Thank you for checking it out.
Hey....I saw one of the autographs on one of your baseballs and........
........but for real...this was THE BEST video I’ve seen from my subscribers in a LONG time. Due to many of the things you mentioned late, along with storage, I don’t collect autos on baseballs (flats for me) but it is a whole different world.
Single signed, team signed, etc. Two huge things you didn’t mention is Ghost Sigs/Clubhouse signatures and identifying factors on a ball kilt the stitches/stamp to place a ball to an era.
But absolutely loved it! Love to see what you have! You’ll be seeing me come out with something soon on autograph collecting as well.
Ps. Ron K is a great resource. I have an item from him used in his book. But even he arguably got a thing wrong or two in book.
Thank you for the very kind words! You are right, now that you mention those things they totally slipped my mind and should have been added. But of course there are so many sides to this hobby. Looking forward to your vid. Thanks for commenting!
Agree PSA and JSA for my baseball very good information
thank you! hope you show off your collection at some point.
Awesome video and couldn't have watched this at a better time! I used to collect autographed baseballs and had the majority of my collection stolen several years back. Have been looking recently to get a few back into my collection.
Any recommendations on displays that offer good protection while allowing you to view the auto's?
Thanks for watching! I use museum-quality storage boxes by a company called Gaylord Archival. They are excellent. Happy collecting!
One of my favorite videos of yours brother!!!!!!!
Thank you! So glad this video continues to be discovered.
That's some good 411 you dropped!
Bravo!
Hey appreciate it!
I have a dark shelf for them and sun doesn’t target it.
Absolutely fantastic advice! You are a modern day Aristotle. I think that you should start a documentary Channel now that you have capture the attention of the Americas.
Wow, the father of western philosophy, and autographed baseballs hahaha
Hello! What is the tendency if a sharpie is used when signing a baseball?
Thank you.
I would avoid sharpies. They are often messy and prone to smearing and fading.
Nice video for putting the discussion of collecting autographs. I have been collecting for 44 years off and on. My niche is collecting vintage aka playing days plays. The 1980’s ushered in an abundance of autograph baseballs signings at shows. Certain players whom were not adequately paid during their times especially during the 1920’s to 1960’s. They were able to making a living signing everything in the late 80’s into 90’s . Example would be an autograph by such Hall of Famers as George Kell or Bob Feller. Playing day’s baseballs allow me to enjoy the period they played or prior baseballs before 198 4. Scarcity of certain autographs on these balls.
Appreciate you checking out the video! I have taken a short break from collecting baseballs but intend to return to it in time. It's a lot of fun to go after signatures from playing days.
Thank you for a very useful video. I have a question for you.
1. As far as a certification from the third party like JSA or Beckett, do you think a “witnessed” type is reliable? I know that these company made some mistakes authenticating fake autographs. I think if I purchase a “witnessed” one instead of “authenticated” one, it will be pretty much authentic. I just want to hear from a collector on this. Thanks.
I would prefer an authenticated signature to a witnessed one any day. That’s my personal opinion. A witnessed autograph holds no weight to me.
I very recently posted a video of my entire signed baseball collection. It’s definitely addictive.
I have a ball from 1949 signed
Who signed it?
Fantastic video Alex!! I really enjoyed this! I collected autographed baseballs for many many years. Getting them signed in person. Due to storage contraints and preservation concerns I have slowly moved out of that segment of the hobby. At one time I owned over 500 autographed balls.... way too many 😂😂😂 The cool thing for me now is I can pass them along to others who appreciate them! With your laser focus and ability to select quality items your collection is among my favorite 2 or 3 collections on TH-cam.... well done brother 👊🏻
Thanks man. I hear you and totally empathize. There are times when I wonder why I have gotten these things given how much goes into trying to keep them in good shape. Do you have any left from your collection? I might lift a few from you if you are selling!
@@bowman53 Who are you looking for? I have a lot of Hof guys but most of them are not authenticated as I got them at shows or games.
I'll email you a list of guys I'm interested in
@@bowman53 sounds great! Here's my email address if you don't have it jvandyke@cmsna.com
@@bowman53 Alex, I have a sizable collection -- too big -- and wouldn't mind trimming it a bit. I have a lot of HOF balls too, if you're interested. My email is rarcher@csuchico.edu if you want to send me a list of what you're looking for.
Good video. I’m with you on the “era correct” baseballs.
Appreciate you watching!
i found 3 baseballs on side of road look like good . one got C Bradley
on it i upload video soon. hope other tell more about them thanks.
OK!
Fantastic video!! Just came across your channel and I have to say wow! amazing content!! Perfect research and knowledge for collectors to use. Can’t wait to binge watch your videos!
Thank you sir! Will be more auto'd baseball videos in the future. Are you collecting? If so, have you considered making vids?
BOWMAN53 yes I collect autograph baseballs, game used baseballs and bats, also collect high grade PSA cards from the 1950-80s. I’ve been gathering ideas about starting a channel and I appreciate how you incorporate the vintage clips and radio sound bites. I want to eventually share my collection while also telling a story about the history of the game and how it relates to how I collect.
@@justinjohnson9293 Sounds good man. I hope you'll take the plunge! If you ever want to bounce ideas off me and talk memorabilia or TH-cam, let me know.
Great video, and thank you for pointing out to wear gloves when handling the balls. I have over 100 signed HOF baseballs dating back to the late 80's and very few have spots or toning, and I attribute that to not touching them with my bare hands.
Thanks for commenting, you should start a channel!
@@bowman53 Thanks. Currently doing the pre-work to get one started and come up with some topics. You've been a great inspiration.
Thanks so much. That was the perfect video at the perfect time for me, as I've recently tripled my baseball collection and I haven't yet decided on how to store them all. Good stuff, sir.
Awesome! Hope you do a vid about your storage at some point.
My dad and I use the cubes, but we are going to drill a small hole in the side of each cube to let the balls breathe. We have them in rubbermade bins. Wondering if a couple holes should be put into the those bins too? Thoughts?
That is a good question. Drilling holes may improve the overall air flow and its effect on the baseballs. The bottom line is that the leather used to make the baseballs needs to breathe in order to lessen the effects of toning over time. That means storage in as dark an area as possible, in a temperate controlled space (not the basement or attic!), away from mold and mildew. Whatever you do, just make sure you keep an eye on the condition of your baseballs over time - taking sample photos every few months may be a good idea. There's going to be natural aging no matter what, but you can at least control it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
BOWMAN53 thanks! We keep them out of light totally. Pics is a good idea. Thanks!
Thanks for all the tips especially the glove one. My only question is where can I buy those cases for the balls that let them breath and how much do they cost?
Look up a company called Gaylord Archival, they primarily supply for museums and collections. You'll find storage options for baseballs in their menu.
At 19:25 in the video, the ball in the middle; who is that? Thanx
Mays
Very informative, interesting, and well done Alex!
Thanks Peter!
Hello Alex, great great video. I love to watch your video. Thanks for sharing your experience about collecting autographed baseball. I have just purchased a Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams baseball and i don't know if the auto are real or not. Many fakes about the legendaries players. All the Best and Happy Collecting.
Thanks for watching. Yes the bigger the name, the more scrutiny the signature will need.
Alex, this was an incredibly well-produced, enjoyable, and informative video!
The archival storage boxes are a great suggestion I was not familiar with!
I, too, really enjoy collecting autograph baseballs; however, I create a lot self-induced “pressure” to maximize their conservation.
Collecting cards is much easier in that respect, but I agree, there’s nothing as special or endearing as your favourite player signing a baseball!
Thanks so much! Something I've wanted to put together for a while. I hear you re: the pressures. Fortunately my OCD tendencies enjoys the challenges of preservation haha.
Alex I really enjoyed this video. It was well done, you made some great points, had great advice, and was very interesting! I am going to take the advice on a few things, thanks Alex!
Hey thanks man, that is really good to hear.
great video alex. fantastic. one question. if you're going to meet a player in person today. what do you recommend what kind of pen to use? ball pointt fine, or a roller gel blue pen. they do tend to smear if you touch right away but if you let dry a few minutes they're ok i like the look of the blue roller gel pens better. they are brighter and a little thicker than the fine point pen. your thoughts?
Thanks Ray - I agree, the gel pen has a much nicer look overall, but like you said could be smudged pretty easily. The ball point pen signatures are less appealing to look at, but might be the safer bet. I think if you're extremely careful about it, going for the gel pen can work.
Great info Alex!
Thank you sir
Thank you so much for producing this video! I know I had asked you a bunch of questions and you have bundled all that up in one great video. I took notes and you gave me a lot to think about. One more question.....is there a reference guide for autographed ball prices? Again Alex I really appreciate your putting this together. I will be starting my journey guided by this wisdom!
Thanks Chuck! There may be, but I am unaware of it. I really go by what I track online both on ebay and through sites like sportsmemorabilia.com. By tracking a player over time you will begin to get a sense of what pricing is common and what is astronomically off base.
Also if you want to see a collection that will blow you away and get you in the mood for collecting, check out this video: th-cam.com/video/r7HTcJgC0vc/w-d-xo.html
Well done...very informative!
Thank you sir!
Great video
My Grandpa has a 1955 baseball signed by Dodgers and Giants
Jackie Robinson & Roy Campanella included
Due to covid shows aren’t happening
We plan to get it authenticated so we can sell it
Nervous to send it out to companies as aware it could be swapped out for a fake
Do you have anyone in Los Angeles you can recommend for valuation authentication and auction?
Thanks man
Awesome! Thanks for sharing that, make sure to press him for stories!
When you say Haiti balls, do you mean Official League balls by Rawlings, made in Haiti?
That is correct.
Great vid Alex, I have over 40 HOF'ers and future HOF'ers all on the sweet spot. The spotting and toning is bound to happen. Where did you get the big corrugated box?
Thank you! A museum preservation site called Gaylord Archival.
Found 2 balls bottom of true trash
One can't recognize
Second ball woman's league lots of signatures
How cute
Then we start recognizing names
Bubbles... I think this is a real ball from the peaches and pumas a league of these own
Called a museum in NY
They freaked out at three names never on the ball they want this piece of history
How do I keep it stored,how do I insure it,
If I were in your shoes, I would first try to identify each signature on my own, and perhaps try to track down someone within your region to have a look at it in person as well. Then ultimately have it authenticated by one of the major houses (PSADNA for example).
Great video Alex! You covered just about everything you could on this topic. Collecting baseballs is what ive been doing for quite a while now so i can appreciate it. Ive already started to get back into it. My focus will be to work on my prime 9. If you remember mlb channel used to have a show called prime 9, top 9. So i think im going with this for every position. My top9 in every position. Let me know what you think. Again very well done video my friend.
Thanks man. That's a great idea! Plenty of ground to cover collecting-wise. Hope it becomes a TH-cam series on your channel!
Really great video Alex. In the amount of time that you have owned that Ted Williams ball, has it faded? Do some autographs end up fading completely or almost completely off the ball even in climate controlled situation?
Thanks Gary. No, I've only had the Williams for a couple of years but it's holding firm. I could be wrong but the older signatures I have seem to be consistent in that any fading they're going to experience has already happened (assuming they don't experience any massive light or temp shifts). Whereas newer signatures are still vulnerable and will experience more fading over time. I'm sure some autos can disappear depending on the ink used and the type of baseball, but couldn't tell you exactly which factors cause that to happen.
Hi Bink. Thought I'd let you know that in my experience (I have about 150 signed balls that I have taken very good care of, doing pretty much everything Alex recommends in this video) it's somewhat unpredictable what will happen to them, even ones signed recently. I had a Roy Halladay PG ball I got about 5 years ago that has faded away almost entirely, and a similar thing happened to a Craig Biggio ball. Both of them I got through MLB Auctions. But other balls I've gotten through MLB Auctions have held up beautifully for some time now. I also got balls signed in person by Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Larry Doby, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Stan Musial about 30 years ago and those still look like they were signed yesterday. I actually wound up getting several Musial balls because his signature was so great -- and he was was a really classy person -- and some of have stood up well and others have faded. So, long story short, no matter how well you take care of your autographs some will stand the test of time very well and others might just fade away.
I REALLY enjoyed this video.
What’s your email man? I have some stuff w/ my auto’d baseball collection I’d love to chat with you about!
Until then or otherwise, thanks for sharing man!
alexanderfnewton@gmail.com go for it!