TEAM BASEBALLS

Artifacts of Baseball History

August, 2010

September, 2011

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New Record Price for a Team Baseball (September 4, 2011)

9/4/2011 1:48:56 PM

As we noted in Chapter Seven (“Valuation”) of Team Baseballs: Artifacts of the Game, the record price paid for a team baseball in a public auction, as of the date of publication (July 2010), was $93,666. We predicted, however, that the record would be broken in the future.

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Prices and Valuation (August 22, 2010)

8/21/2010 10:26:03 AM

I had a very enjoyable interview with Mike Mutnansky of New Hampshire's WGAM radio ("The Game") on Thursday, August 19. We discussed several topics, including Red Sox team balls and Ted Williams signatures. You can listen to the interview at http://wgamthegame.com/2010/08/20/the-hometeam-august-19-hour-2/; it starts at the 23:45 mark and runs for approximately 12 minutes.

One of the great questions that Mike asked, which I get often, was what is the most valuable team baseball. I can answer that question unequivocally; in my opinion it is the pristine 1927 New York Yankees team ball depicted in five views on the back cover of Team Baseballs: Artifacts of the Game. It occurred to me, however, that while it is natural to focus on the most valuable items, potential collectors should be aware that team balls are available in all price ranges. One does not have to be wealthy to collect them.

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Signature Fading (August 15, 2010)

8/15/2010 1:52:42 PM

Before I get to the main subject of today’s blog entry, a number of people have asked when Team Baseballs: Artifacts of the Game will be in stock at Amazon. I am pleased to report that, as of yesterday, it is. So for those who prefer to order from Amazon, the book is available and eligible for their free “Super Saver” shipping. Here is a link: www.amazon.com/Team-Baseballs-Mitnick-James-Spence/dp/0615366287/ref=sr_1_1. Of course JSA is also offering the book for sale at the same price with shipping included: www.spenceloa.com/network.asp.

On Friday evening, August 13, I was a guest on Greg Maiuro’s sports talk show (“Sports Goombas”) on WOND in New Jersey, and once again the subject of signature fading on autographed baseballs came up. Most team balls will remain in collectible condition with reasonably bold signatures if proper handling and storage techniques are employed, and we covered those techniques in Chapter Nine of Team Baseballs. There are numerous vintage team balls (even from the 1910s and 1920s) that are still in superlative condition with bold signatures, and some great examples are depicted in the book.

Sometimes, however, proper handling and storage are not enough, and some or all of the signatures on your prized 1998 Yankees team ball can begin to fade, with possibly disastrous consequences for your enjoyment of it and its value. What can you do?

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Modern Forgeries (August 8, 2010)

8/8/2010 2:30:28 PM

Today the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore comes to a close, and it has been a great week. Jimmy Spence and I officially released our new book (Team Baseballs: Artifacts of the Game) at the show, and sales have been brisk. James Spence Authentication will continue to market the book on its website (www.spenceloa.com/network.asp) and at show and store appearances. It is also available on Amazon and through other dealers.

In the course of the many media interviews that we did this week regarding the book, the subject of forged autographs never failed to come up. Authenticity of autographs is understandably and rightfully a primary concern of collectors, and it is a significant focus of Team Baseballs. For example, Chapter Four is simply titled “Clubhouse Signatures,” and other parts of the book address authentication in general, as well as various specific authenticity-related topics such as rubber-stamped and traced signatures.

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