Disturbing trend in MLB authenticated balls?

[sylbry]

Possibly removing holograms and placing them on other balls? These things are tamperproof for a reason.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MLB-BARRY-BONDS-713HR-GAME-USED-BALL_W0QQitemZ250174639194QQihZ015QQcategoryZ73418 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190166282979&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

[indyred]

That would be really stupid if someone did try switching mlb holograms on balls. It would serve no purpose. It's the thing that shows the balls history. It would just make the person's legit ball worthless and fake ball worth more. It's not like anyone would still want the legit ball with out the hologram then. Some people are complete idiot's.

[bigtruck260]

Not sure what to think here...

I saw a couple of balls in a Team Store (STL) that had jacked up stickers.
Sometimes the guys applying them might get into a hurry and screw them up...it is a possibility.

However, the story about the kid tearing the hologram is a little shady. I don't let mine out of my sight if and when the boy is hanging with me in my office. Not to mention, give him enough time to peel the sticker off.

Saw a ball in a completed auction (Bonds) with a $300 BIN - I just can't see someone selling a Bonds 713 ball for an obvious loss of a couple hunded dollars so soon after the fact. Something might be up....who knows....

Dave

[Spiezio23]

I'd have to agree with the fact that some of these holograms are attached in a way that they are damaged by the authenticator. I've gotten items direct from the team before with messed up stickers, it happens.

The story about the Bonds ball is a pretty shady story, all one has to do is figure out what the hologram number is and say, oops it came off but it's the real deal, I promise.

Do you have any proof that the Neshek ball was tampered with? If not I think it's pretty bad to call that seller out on it with no proof they've tampered with it or other items in the past.

[allstarsplus]

I'd have to agree with the fact that some of these holograms are attached in a way that they are damaged by the authenticator. I've gotten items direct from the team before with messed up stickers, it happens.

The story about the Bonds ball is a pretty shady story, all one has to do is figure out what the hologram number is and say, oops it came off but it's the real deal, I promise.

Do you have any proof that the Neshek ball was tampered with? If not I think it's pretty bad to call that seller out on it with no proof they've tampered with it or other items in the past.

Spiezio - Well said and I agree with everything you said. In addition, I would say the pre-2007 circle shaped holograms sometimes had smeared numbers if rubbed with force and no foul-play.

Andrew

[sylbry]

I didn't call anyone out. The seller was from Iowa. The ball originated in Texas. Could have changed hands many times.

How can you say the Bonds ball with the broken hologram is shady while ignoring the Neshek ball with the broken hologram? Same authentication problem in my book. Just because the Neshek ball doesn't have what appears to be an unlikely story doesn't make it more or less likely to be tampered.

The Neshek ball is the one I would think is more likely to be tampered with. Here is my MLB authenticated Neshek debut ball.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x16/sylbry/Twins/PatNeshekgameusedballMLBdebut.jpg

Now if I removed the hologram it wouldn't change the fact that Pat signed it as a game used ball from his first game. Wouldn't really need a hologram anymore. Could put it on a different ball to recover the cost of the ball. Obviously this is speculation though. And I say this only because a member of Pat's website was the seller of the ball (which is where I noticed it in a post.) Pat signs everything for free. I am hard pressed to believe someone who has a ball from his MLB debut wouldn't have sent it to him to be signed. Again speculation.

The only reason I see with removing the Bonds ball hologram is you are able to keep a real gamer and screw someone else out of some money. Afterall, to a non-game used collector a MLB authenticated ball without its hologram is no different from a foul ball caught at the game.

Finally, the Bonds balls were not the actual HR balls, just balls used in the game in which he hit HR #713.

[Spiezio23]

Well, how about the thing that I have seemed to have over looked. It's not an authentication issue here. The balls, both of them are in my opinion legit.

What did I skip doing the first time I read this post..

Checking the MLB authentication #'s

The Bonds ball below shows it was used during the 6th inning of Barry's 713 HR game. Well, in the questions section another person also posted that someone else had a ball, also used in Barry's 713 game. Guess what that too was from the 6th inning.

Through some semi complete searches I've come up with the following #'s that ALL come up as Barry Bonds HR#713 6th Inning.

BB 027937
BB 027939
BB 027940
BB 027941
BB 027942
BB 027944 up to BB 027971

Yes, All of those #'s are recordered as written above. there may be more but I got tired of looking up #'s.

So it's one persons perception of what they have and what it really is. Just going by authentication #'s here wasn't really enough to get the whole picutre. I do think both auctions were a bit misleading by the title and in the description but the more expensive one did go on to say it was just used in that game, not that it was the actual HR ball.

Again, after seeing a number of holograms that weren't perfect on Mariners items and other MLB authenticated items, that I've seen come direct from the team I'd miss out on some great items. The thing is, it's a sticker.. it's got adhesive on the back it's bound to not come off the sheet perfectly or have issues and no sense in wasting a sticker because a small bit of it didn't come off right. I will say I haven't seen any that were missing a major portion of the holographic adhesive, just small bits.

I am also a member of Pat's website but just because he signs everything for free, doesn't mean everyone wants something signed. There's a large portion of this hobby that thinks it even devalues a game used item to get it signed. If I had one of the balls from Pat's debut game, I probably wouldn't have him sign it but get a new ROMLB signed instead.

In the end, I hadn't thought of removing a hologram sticker to put on another item, guess that's why it never bothered me before and still doesn't.

I guess we can agree to disagree on this issue. It's just less competiton in the end if the hologram isn't perfect.

[allstarsplus]

new ROMLB signed instead.

In the end, I hadn't thought of removing a hologram sticker to put on another item, guess that's why it never bothered me before and still doesn't.

This is what should happen when a sticker is tampered with as with this UDA hologram.


7058

I don't want to do a scientific research project and try to remove a MLB hologram and see what happens but maybe someone else wants to try it and give us the before and after----I will venture to guess that if it is removed at the surface it will break apart and unless you cut into the baseball leather surgically, that will be the only way to keep it intact.

Keep in mind, there is no way I know of that you can manipulate the findings on the MLB Authentication website where the hologram numbers are stored so I don't know how you can get around that.

Andrew

[jwasserman]

I used to own that Neshek ball (I am not the ebay seller). That the seller even mentioned the tear is more a testament to their honesty. It's a small corner of the tag that was most likely ripped when applying it.

That ball has changed hand a few times- I won it off Ebay, traded it to someone on the Neshek boards who later auctioned it off there. I thought about getting it signed but just couldn't bring myself to drop it in the mail, even to a reliable signer like Neshek.

[sylbry]

Thanks for all your comments.

[David]

I've never bought from MLB, but wouldn't you receive a mailing box and perhaps receipt to back up the item if the hologram really fell off? Also, the MLB site includes pictures of the items, so if you save the web page you could help verify.

[David]

If you bought the ball from MLB or auction house, you'd have evidence of your purchase. If I win something from Lelands, for example, I keep a copy of the invoice (showing I won the item) and print out a copy of the auction lot on my computer. I also keep records of personal checks I write when I purchase memorabilia. If there was issue, like the hologram fell off, I would have no problem I purchased the item.

[bigtruck260]

Most of the balls used in those photos are generic shots...from what I have seen.

[allstarsplus]

If you bought the ball from MLB or auction house, you'd have evidence of your purchase. If I win something from Lelands, for example, I keep a copy of the invoice (showing I won the item) and print out a copy of the auction lot on my computer. I also keep records of personal checks I write when I purchase memorabilia. If there was issue, like the hologram fell off, I would have no problem I purchased the item.

Many of the game used baseballs with holograms are purchased direct through team stores and like the Washington Nationals store you only get a cash register receipt so there is no real detail of the transaction.

Also, I wouldn't expect a hologram to fall off of a game used baseball or bat as they adhere real well.

The predominance of problems is the holograms making sharp contact with something so you get a smear or a chip in the hologram.

The new larger holograms appear to be holding up much better (so far).

Andrew