Sticker Autographs on What?

[ranbethscards]

Well, it was bound to happen. Topps is offering STICKER autographs on baseballs.

what a shame.

 

[racinghy]

*hits dislike button*

 

[NorthKorea]

My assumption is that these are on their Topps branded balls, so the stickers *might* be an improvement. Those balls were notorious for bleeding signatures and eventually yellow shadows where there was formerly ink.

 

[CamaroDMD]

My assumption is that these are on their Topps branded balls, so the stickers *might* be an improvement. Those balls were notorious for bleeding signatures and eventually yellow shadows where there was formerly ink.

I'm not familiar with Topps brand baseballs...but I have a decent collection of signed baseballs and if the proper medium and pen is not used, bleeding is always an issue. My guess is, the Topps balls are a type of plastic...not leather and that they are signed with a sharpie type pen. Both will cause bleeding. The only way to get a baseball nicely signed that will last is to use a true leather baseball (like a Rawlings Official MLB Ball) and sign it with a normal ball-point pen. My guess is, Topps balls don't follow this pattern.

Plastic baseballs are far cheaper than leather balls and having a player sign a sticker is far easier than having them sign cards and balls...so I'm sure this is a huge savings on overhead for Topps. Plus, the sticker won't bleed on the cheap ball.

 

[NorthKorea]

I don't think they used Sharpies, but the pens they opted for had very low density ink. As for leather v plastic, even with leather, fading can occur if you use the wrong ink (even if ballpoint) and/or don't rub the gloss off the ball first.

 

[CamaroDMD]

I don't think they used Sharpies, but the pens they opted for had very low density ink. As for leather v plastic, even with leather, fading can occur if you use the wrong ink (even if ballpoint) and/or don't rub the gloss off the ball first.

Plastic is NEVER a good choice for a ball as the auto will always fade and smear. Leather is not perfect (no medium is) but it is by far the best when it comes to a ball. I have a decent size collection of signed baseballs (probably have 20 or so) and this is what most people who collect them will say. Only use Rawlings Offical baseballs and only use (blue) ball point pens. Can they still smear and fade...sure, but they won't bleed like a sharpe will.

 

[NorthKorea]

Hah hah. I thought my collection was small at 30. Then again, some of mine are team balls, which probably shouldn't count, since players scribble over other player signatures all the time.