Has anyone been able to remove a fake Sharpie auto from an old card?

[JollyElm]

I have a few 1960s/70s cards signed with blue and black Sharpies that are apparently TTM secretarials or such (signed in the late 70s/early 80s). Since the cards are basically ruined to begin with, I'm wondering if anyone has experience in soaking off the signatures in order to make them 'whole' again? The writing is on front, so it sits upon the gloss, which would seem to be a good thing, but who knows if this type of ink fuses to said gloss. At least one of the blues has turned lighter and purplish over time, so it doesn't seem to be overly permanent?

I know the most likely answer is I just have to try it for myself and see, but I'm hoping someone has some experience-based insight they can offer.

Thanks!

Scan added. Talking about the Mays cards...

maysaarony.jpg

[Republicaninmass]

I've seen inscriptions/personalization removed, so it is possible.

Famously 2 1990 george Bush signed topps cards sold and appeared shortly thereafter without inscriptions
Only 2 signed copies I've ever seen, forever tainted

[WhatsNext]

Not possible on 60s/70s cards. Very easy to do with modern (2000ish-present) cards.

[JollyElm]

Added a scan to the mix. Guess I'll see what I can do on the 1974 Mays card ('worth' the least) sometime soon, but don't have any hope of anything being improved...unless someone can tell me they had success with this scenario before.

Might just have to sell them all for parts.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Not even worth the attempt on older cards. As someone noted above, it's an entirely different scenario from the ultra-glossy, modern world. Anything you try will only make it worse.

[jad22]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Not even worth the attempt on older cards. As someone noted above, it's an entirely different scenario from the ultra-glossy, modern world. Anything you try will only make it worse.

Exactly correct. They dry erase marker removal that works on photos would never work on any of the older cards. I think it would definitely work on the newer stuff only.

[JollyElm]

The weird thing is, although it seems to be accepted that Willie Mays had a ghost signer (wife?), it's hard to ignore that the word "Mays" seems to be entirely consistent with the way his authenticated (past few decades) autograph is written, and the basic structure of those loops on the 'W' and 'M' seem to be the earliest version of what his signature became. The 'W' loop eventually turning into what looks like a capital 'T.'

I know, I know, perhaps it's wishful thinking, but I've never been convinced that all of those somewhat flamboyant TTM autographs were fakes.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

It is wishful thinking. Don't waste another second hoping for the impossible--on either ink removal or on the notion that Willie Mays touched any of your cards.

[mrmopar]

I suppose although nothing like the real thing, these cards have their own following. I have a bunch of Don Zimmer cards that were apparently wife signed. I won't try to alter them or toss them.

I think a wife/ghost signed card in good shape is better looking than any of these off condition tattered cards some people seem to like. I can understand a rare/obscure card to take in whatever condition, but some of these are so beat up or damaged that buying them makes zero sense to me. It's OK to have a card with the team scratched out and a new one written in by some 60s kid, but a nice cursive signature (albeit not the player) is just unacceptable!

Just get a reprint was my thought at first. However, it can't be about the look of the card (because some are so hideous, you might go blind looking at them), but more the actual ownership of what was once the card in its glory.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

It is wishful thinking. Don't waste another second hoping for the impossible--on either ink removal or on the notion that Willie Mays touched any of your cards.

Without hope, a man has nothing.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

By the way, Mays was married twice and both wives signed for him. His first wife's version is much, much scarcer, obviously due to their less than ten years of wedded bliss.

[Bigdaddy]

Try panty hose.

I had a 1978 Pedro Borbon that i had sent into a private signing and the wrong card got sent back - one that had wax on the front. Anyway, I tried removing the wax with some panty hose and ended up taking off some of the sharpie signature.

Not sure if it will work in your case as I assume with Pedro, part of the sharpie was on top of the wax and not directly on the card.

Tom

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

Try panty hose.

I had a 1978 Pedro Borbon that i had sent into a private signing and the wrong card got sent back - one that had wax on the front. Anyway, I tried removing the wax with some panty hose and ended up taking off some of the sharpie signature.

Not sure if it will work in your case as I assume with Pedro, part of the sharpie was on top of the wax and not directly on the card.

Tom

The wax was the only reason that worked.

[dgo71]

As others have said there's no hope for those vintage cards. If you want to see for yourself, test it out by grabbing a common 80s Topps card, scribble on it in Sharpie and then try to remove the ink.

With older cards that have no glossy surface, the ink actually bonds with the fibers of the card (think of it like getting a stain on clothes that won't come out) and makes it impossible to remove without damaging the card's surface. With glossy cards of today, the ink never actually bonds with the material of the card. The gloss acts as a barrier between the ink and the card itself, so the ink rests on the top so to speak, which makes it very easy to remove with a dab of rubbing alcohol, an eraser or sometimes even just your finger.

[steve B]

I've heard that going over it with a dry erase marker then wiping it off with a paper towel works on some surfaces.

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by steve B

I've heard that going over it with a dry erase marker then wiping it off with a paper towel works on some surfaces.

I've never tried or seen it tried on a card but someone showed me this trick on an 8x10 and it worked like magic.

[JollyElm]

I experimented on a blue sharpie-signed 1975 Gary Matthews card that I got TTM last century. The dry erase marker definitely and immediately 'erased' the autograph, but in the end the yellow from that marker has basically taken the place of the original problem ink...so I'm back to where I started. I then soaked the Matthews to see if the new yellow ink could be disappeared, but no dice. Bummer.

If somehow the dry erase marker was see-through colorless, this would work, but alas.

In the end, though, I think there could be something here. The way the dry erase marker activated that very old sharpie signature was really impressive. Not a drop of the ink remained. Perhaps there's a different type of marker that's more water-based and could be quickly wiped away (as long as the card has some of its original gloss)?

Anyone have further ideas?

[steve B]

https://choosemarker.com/how-do-dry-erase-markers-work/


It seems dry erase markers are alcohol based, so it may be possible to erase them with alcohol.

That might also mean that alcohol can erase permanent Markers


It's worth trying.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by steve B

https://choosemarker.com/how-do-dry-erase-markers-work/


It seems dry erase markers are alcohol based, so it may be possible to erase them with alcohol.

That might also mean that alcohol can erase permanent Markers


It's worth trying.

Alcohol/Everclear works amazing when removing a bad auto on a bat. Not so much on a card and it can and will ruin a cards surface gloss/ink.