Mantle Ball - UDA vs PSA 9

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by packs

There will always be exceptions of course. But I don't know if just sunlight is the cause of the browning. The same aging is evident on many baseballs and who knows what environments they were in. But it is consistent. Maybe it's only sun, maybe its a combination of things.

I think you are right that it is a combination of things. Regarding most of the 'brown' ones - if they are not shellacked, do they look like they've been consistently handled? I ask because I can't remember ever seeing a ball that looks un-handled (like my two), but is browned. The only exception is the ones that have had shellack or similar substances applied.

[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.

[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.

[packs]

Originally Posted by Runscott

I think you are right that it is a combination of things. Regarding most of the 'brown' ones - if they are not shellacked, do they look like they've been consistently handled? I ask because I can't remember ever seeing a ball that looks un-handled (like my two), but is browned. The only exception is the ones that have had shellack or similar substances applied.

Really? I see scattered toning on baseballs all the time. It's usually brown spots in seemingly random locations that look to me like they'll eventually spread to cover the entire baseball.

Here's just one example:

Clean Sweep 500 Homers

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by packs

Really? I see scattered toning on baseballs all the time. It's usually brown spots in seemingly random locations that look to me like they'll eventually spread to cover the entire baseball.

Here's just one example:

Clean Sweep 500 Homers

That looks like a light coating of shellack or something similar.

[packs]

I don't think so. It's natural toning. I don't know what causes it, but it's something that naturally happens. Probably influenced by sunlight, but I don't think it's only sunlight.

Eddie Mathews

Lee Smith

Yaz

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by packs

I don't think so. It's natural toning. I don't know what causes it, but it's something that naturally happens. Probably influenced by sunlight, but I don't think it's only sunlight.

Eddie Mathews

Lee Smith

Yaz

The first and third one look like game use or batting practice use.

No excuse for the Lee Smith ball - looks like it must be some sort of impurity in the leather or the yellowing you describe, from just sitting around exposed.

But I really don't know - I actually had a third ball that I got signed in 1973, and it also looks pristine, although I gave it to my brother last year. So perhaps I've been lucky, but my experience is that as long as you aren't handling them a lot (when I was a kid, I even handled these quite a bit, with no ill effects over time), and they were fresh out of a box to begin with, you don't get the yellowing/browning you are describing.

Does anyone have a ball that was never rubbed up or otherwise handled other than for signing and occasional viewing, that turned yellow or brown in areas?

[packs]

I have plenty, just none on hand for a photo. I highly doubt they're game used or practice used as they both have inscriptions and were likely signed at a show.

It's just something that happens. The UDA ball mentioned in the original post is also noted as toned. I would assume that was a brand new ball when signed.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by packs

I have plenty, just none on hand for a photo. I highly doubt they're game used or practice used as they both have inscriptions and were likely signed at a show.

I'm asking for examples that you have owned for the entire period, not ones that you bought that you are making assumptions about to support your thinking.

I could be totally wrong about this, but I would like to see some real examples from forum members. So far, I'm the only one who has any, and I have three pristine 40+ year old examples. One was a very cheap (but leather) ball I bought at a drugstore, another was a more expensive, but still cheap, ball that I bought at the drugstore, and the third is an official NL ball.