I have over 150 plus signed baseballs and have stopped getting balls signed due to the fading problem. Some signatures are as strong as the day the ball was signed, others not so much. As others have mentioned the problem is due to a number of issues. Ink and how it reacts to the leather. Heck it might get down to the diet of the cow. Perhaps the way the hide was tanned or even cut. The pressure the signer exerts to get the ink into the hide. How the ball was handled. As big as he is, Gaylord Perry signs very lightly which is death to a signature. The signatures in my collection that are fading are Dale Murphy, Gary Carter, Gaylord Perry, Bob Horner (completely gone) and Bud Selig. All were in person. As much as I like the way a signed baseball displays it has been awhile since I've had a ball signed.
|