Hey BamBam,
As a serious and avid Baseball Collector and a former industry professional who's directly worked dozens upon dozens of signings, I have a lot of experience in this area.
Pen type and ball type make a massive difference when it comes to signature quality and longevity, using official league or MLB Baseballs is bar none the best option. Do not use sharpie, do not use black pens, blue ballpoint is the best option. Obviously a sit down or private signing will produce the best, boldest signatures.
As for fraud/fakes, yes there are tons of fakes out there, but for lower tier guys who's autos got for cheap and whose signatures are plentiful and sign regularly its not as much of a concern. Figure that even on a good day, genuine league or MLB Baseballs run $15-20, forging a ball that's worn only $30-50 is a waste. Obviously, a ball which has reputable authenticity from a first person authenticated like Steiner/UDA/Fanatics and the like are a guarantee but cost a lot more.
Most living HOFers can be had pretty easily, even the 8-10 guys who are tough still participate in private signings, with the exceptions being Tom Seaver and Willie Mays, whose haven't signed in public or private in at least 2 years.
Museum and UV cases help, but the keys to stop or eliminate fading over time are keeping it out of direct light, keeping it in a room without big changes in temperature or humidity are also big helpers in terms of longevity.
Hope this helps, if you have interest in some specific players I can help guide you on availability, fakes, frauds etc.
Kevin C.
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