You received a baseball in 1977 signed by the entire 1956 Yankees team do you think it is real or a replica?

Answer 1

First thing you should do is determine if the signature are hand signed or Facsimile stamped signatures as would appear on a promotional or souvenir Baseball.

With a stamped signature baseball the ink would be too consistent. When you sign your name, you use different angles, and pressure as you sign. This is more evident when signing with sharpie. Some parts of the signature will be darker, or lighter depending on the pressure you put on the pen. With a stamped signature it is usually all the same density, and thickness. When you cross a "T", or at the end of your signature you might tail off as you come off the page. A stamped signature might start, and end with no variation at all.

See Related Links below for links to New York Yankees souvenir baseballs from this era with stamped signatures. Compare the signatures and if the signatures are exactly the same you have a replica. Other signs of stamped signatures would be players like Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford. If Yogi Berra is signed Larry Berra, and Whitey Ford is signed Ed Ford, chances are that they are stamped. If the signatures are hand signed find signatures on line that have been properly authenticated, and compare them to yours. If you feel comfortable that they can be authentic then proceed to have them authenticated by a reputable company like PSA/DNA or JSA. Signatures that have not been properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less.