fading of autographs on cards
 

I personally have seen sharpie autographs fade if left in the sun. Will pencil autographs on old gum cards that are pretty light, fade even more over time if slabbed and most often kept out of light? I am talking over years? or will they stay at the level they presently are. Thanks

I would imagine that pencil should be pretty permanent since its a carbon rub on the paper, not an ink, which chemically is more likely to break down.

Pencil and pen seem pretty solid mediums to me on gum cards. Sharpie seems to be hit or miss. I've got some cards that are sharpie that look brand new. And other cards like this Drysdale that faded completely. This Drysdale is actually signed twice, once right under the image in sharpie:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps4ae7821e.jpg

Are you positive that was signed in Sharpie? I have seen some sharpie sigs bleed into older cards over the course of many years, but never seen one fade completely away. Even the ones I've seen that were left in direct light (hanging in a classroom for severla years) simply turned a muddled greyish-blue, but are still quite visible. That Drysdale seems more likely to have been signed in some type of water-based ink like a Flair pen.