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I need Opinions Please

Ok I am going to post 3 different Mantle balls.

I am looking for the best one of the three. None of these are graded and I would like to know from some who have done this for longer than I have been alive haha; which one is the best sig, best overall, and which one would grade the best from the photos.

I know this is tough to tell but just what you think and why would help me out. Maybe I can learn something from this exercise about what makes a sig good and what would help the grade.

Thanks

Tags: Mantle, Mickey, Opinion

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Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on December 2, 2013 at 9:56am

ask for photos of ALL the panels...and forget the grading.

I'll grade you an "I" for idiot if you even think about sending it in for grading. It's one thing to throw grades around when selling... it's quite another to have a company actually grade the ball after you bought it. Pure stupidity at it's finest, IMHO.

Over time, the ink will probably fade and the ball may start to raccoon or oil spot harry. Who cares about the grade then? Just a stupid concept so stop the stinkin thinkin. It's pure insanity. I have No opinion on any of the "grades" as you can't see the whole signature on ball #1 and there are no additional pictures of the all side panels on any of the others. Also, I hate black ink on a ball #2. Others do too and it detracts from the value....unless it's graded a "10". LOL. Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Tyler Johnson on December 2, 2013 at 10:00am

Thanks fudd. I can always count on a brutally honest response from fudd.
I am so new at this I am just trying to not make any mistakes especially with a mantle.
I dont like the black ink either.
I have photos of all panels its just only allows me to uplaod 3 to a discussio .

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Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on December 2, 2013 at 10:21am

yeah TJ, you know I'm just busting your balls!!!

I Love to try and help new collectors. Keep plodding along and you'll be an expert in NO time. The best advice I can give is to just take your time and good things will happen.

Used to be hard to follow my own advice, but you can do it!

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kaminski on December 2, 2013 at 12:02pm

Any idea what grade my Mantle autograph would receive? Just curious haha.

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Permalink Reply by Tyler Johnson on December 2, 2013 at 12:11pm

Wanna sell it mike?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kaminski on December 2, 2013 at 12:14pm

I won't, sorry. Guy that sold it to me had a great story of how he got it and made me promise him to never sell it. Doesn't mean much, but I'm going to uphold that.

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Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on December 2, 2013 at 12:46pm

Ball 6-7, signature 8-9. Overall 7, (judging from the front only. Send more pics and I'll give you a FUDD grade for free.

No need to uphold that stupid promise Mike. Seller told me the same thing when I bought a used car from him a little over a year ago. I Just sold it to make room for the new 2014 Stingray. Promises meant nothing. How did I know the new design was going to be irresistible and I'd get a bug up my A**? I didn't.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kaminski on December 2, 2013 at 5:41pm

I've honestly never seen a "Snow White" Mantle ball in person, I think most are displayed and as a result the ball HAS to darken a little bit. Only baseballs that I have that are close to snow white were signed no more than 2-3 years ago. My Mantle ball does have one or two spots though, thankfully they're on the back of the ball so it displays very nice.

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on December 2, 2013 at 6:18pm

I actually prefer the ball to have some degree of toning, when I buy a vintage ball.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kaminski on December 2, 2013 at 6:20pm

Yeah a nice "cream" colour looks a lot better in my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on December 2, 2013 at 6:41pm

from what I can see on my monitor (and it's set bright) I can clearly see the bottom has some browning, I can only guess what the other panels look like. Photography can be an art. I love to take close-ups like that. Sometimes, the photo's only pick up very slight variations and when you look at them in the natural light, you can see toning much more direct. With-out seeing it up close and personal, who can really tell? Ball Pics can be an optical illusion.

There is only very minor coloring at the laces. I can't speak for the actual dufus's that do the grading for a living look for, but this dufus is looking for eye appeal and bright white. I agree that a cream white (evenly toned or otherwise) can get 7-9 from FUDD. These Bobby Browns are tough to find perfect, so that's why my low 6-7 estimate. Maybe if I saw it in person it'd be an 8-9?

I've seen new balls right out of the box too that are already toned. The nice thing about Bobby Browns that have stayed nice, tend to stay nice...unless you display them in the sun like I do. LOL then sometimes you can get ink fading. Balls that have toned, tend to keep toning no matter what you do?

When I used to sell some balls, I loved to describe them in detail and grade them for the buyers. I am pretty tough and I don't think I ever received a complaint for wasn't as described? Always got a decent premium this way too I think?

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on December 2, 2013 at 6:45pm

Fudd, you sure know your balls! LOL

I do agree that balls that have toning, will have it no matter what you do. One of the stupider things I have done regarding my collection, is I used to display my Maris signed MacPhail ball (over 30 years ago) and while the signature is still fairly strong (black sharpie, no bleeding) the blue logos of the ball are almost all washed out. oh well.