# Ball signed by 1958 Dodgers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186 "2001-04-24T21:00:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186/1 "2001-04-24T21:00:51Z")
I came across a baseball that belonged to my grandmother that was signed by the 1958 Dodgers (the first year they moved to LA). Do any of you know how I would go about getting something like this appraised or finding a buyer? Or maybe a ballpark (no pun intended) estimate of how much it is worth. ---
**Author:** ![Saryl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@Saryl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saryl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186/2 "2001-04-24T21:14:34Z")
Antique road show? I know, it’s probably not antique, but to someone who is only 20 years old…heh… In all seriousness, try the yellow pages. There’s three page of appraisers in mine, and that’s just a little dinky town of Dubuque IA. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186/3 "2001-04-24T22:15:24Z")
[http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1134285495](http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1134285495) This exact item sold on ebay, the auction ended april 22nd. It sold for $399.50 – And I can tell you that baseball memorabilia sells on ebay for typically less than you can sell it for person to person. The trick is finding someone locally who wants it, though. You might look for a baseball card store in your area. Sigs of Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Pee Wee Reese, and Duke Snider should garner some interest. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186/4 "2001-04-24T22:26:52Z")
[http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1131919162](http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1131919162) This one, as well. It sold for $280. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186/5 "2001-04-24T22:38:17Z")
There is a difference between the price you can get on eBay, and the price you would pay at a sports collectibles shop. The eBay price is known as the _fair market value_, and represents what you as a collector might expect to get for it from a dealer or at auction. The price at a dealer is the _replacement value_, and represents what you would have to pay if you wanted to purchase it outright on any given day. Think of it like the high and low blue book price on a car. Any reputable appraiser will give you both figures. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ball-signed-by-1958-dodgers/63186/6 "2001-04-25T02:03:10Z")
Note that the ball that brought $280. was on a _Wilson professional model_. The one that brought $399. was on an official ball. Official ML balls bring the most. You will also have to evaluate the strength of the signatures. And the whiteness of the ball. I doubt that you will find a dealer paying more than the $250-350 range, even for a really nice one. Keep it and enjoy it.