Choosing the right pen for your autograph is almost as important of a step as getting the actual autograph. The right pen and autograph location will make a big impact on the value of your autographed item. You want your autograph to be visible and stand the test of time to hold its value. We will cover everything you need to know about different pen types for specific items based on our expert opinion. Here’s our guide on the best pens for autographs for the most popular items to be signed. It’s also important to note this is based on our team’s personal experience, there will likely be some varying opinions on what the best pen type is for items.

The Best Pens for Autographs

There are several factors you are going to need to consider before choosing the right pen. These are the top 5 factors you need to think about to help with your pen decision:

1. Ink Type: There are three types of ink that are primarily considered for autographs

1. Permanent Marker – Quickly dries, but also is more transparent and has less pop than a paint pen. Also, we’ve seen marker can fade over time more so than a paint pen if not properly protected.
2. Ballpoint Pen – These should only be used on leather baseballs. There is no other exception to use these pens on other sports items.
3. Oil-Based Paint Marker – These can come in a variety of colors and pen tip sizes. These usually are our first choice to use because paint really pops on most surfaces. If not properly prepped, these pens can also be frustrating for signatures since they can bleed if pressed down too hard or smeared as they take up to 4 minutes to dry. Paint pens, when used on the right surface, will last much longer than a permanent marker and won’t fade or bleed.

2. Item Surface: Different surfaces (cards, baseballs, photos, fabric, etc.) require different types of pens. We picked out the most commonly signed items below to explain what pen is best for each surface. In short, you need a pen that will pop on your items and we always recommend testing on a similar surface beforehand.

3. Background Color: Signed items with a visible autograph will tend to be more valuable than an item that has and autograph that is hard to see. When choosing your pen, make sure you’re choosing one that will pop. (ie. Use a light color pen on a dark color item).

4. Event Type: If you are going to a paid autograph signing, the athlete isn’t rushed and will take the time to do a good autograph, so you can choose to go with a paint pen that takes longer to dry. If you are at a game or practice trying to get a free autograph, you may want to go with a permanent marker since they dry near instantly.

5. Pen Stroke Weight: For any larger items than a baseball or card, you should stick with a medium stroke pen, which will help your autograph stand out. For cards or baseballs, using a fine point pen is all the space you have so the autograph is legible.

Best Pen for Autographs on Baseballs

Baseballs are one of the most popular sports items to be signed. Our recommendations below are based on using an Official Major League Baseball, which is made out of real leather. There are other “pleather” or plastic balls that don’t hold autographs that well that we would highly recommend spending more money to get an authentic leather MLB baseball. Baseballs are great to bring to a game so can get whatever athlete is available to sign your baseball instead of athlete specific cards or photo. Also, we recommend only getting one athlete to sign the ball. This will actually make your ball more valuable than getting a lesser known athletes to sign the ball with a well known athlete if you ever decide to sell your baseball.

#1 Bic Cristal Medium Ball Point Pen in Blue Ink – Xtra Smooth

There is not much debate on what pen type to use, stick with the tried and true of all pen types,a blue medium ball point pen. There are other brands that people will recommend, including Zebra blue .7MM or Staedtler Triplus ballpoint pen. Avoid permanent markers at all cost – they bleed and fade on baseballs.

Pros:

• Won’t fade or bleed on leather vs. other pen types

• Permanent and fade-resistant

• Dries instantly and little pen prep is needed

• Cheapest of all pen types, so buy in bulk

Cons:

• Ink may not pop like a permanent marker at first but won’t fade like a permanent marker on leather

Example of Ball Point Pen on a Baseball

Best Pen for Autographs on Jerseys

Getting autographs on fabrics such a jersey or hat is one of the hardest to get right as you need the ink to adhere to the fabric and try to avoid any bleeding. We recommend getting the jersey number signed, as they won’t bleed as much if signed elsewhere and generally are white, so your autograph can pop when signed. Try to match the jersey color with the color of the pen, otherwise, sticking with a blue sharpie is usually one of the best options to go with on a white number.

#1 Sharpie Permanent Marker – Fine Point - Blue

Sharpie Permanent markers are usually the #1 one choice we see with autograph signings on jersey numbers. They dry quick, don’t smear and are permanent. Fabric is the hardest material to have signed, but when you need to, a permanent marker is the preferred choice.

Pros:

• Quickly dries, no smearing

• Will hold well on jersey numbers and doesn’t tend to fade

• Variety of colors, so make sure to get the one that will standout like blue or match the jersey primary color.

Cons:

• Autographs can bleed – the actual fabric will change form jersey to jersey, especially if a knock-off jersey. If possible, try to test on a similar fabric.

#2 DecoColor – Fine Point Tip

For paint pens, if getting a dark number signed on a white jersey, we always like the look of metallic silver as it really pops. Otherwise, if signing a white number, any dark paint color look good.

Pros:

• Less transparent than permanent marker and may pop out more

• Comes in more colors than Sharpies to help match your jersey color

Cons:

• Paint pens are more likely to bleed on a jersey number

Best Pens for Sports Equipment

Sports equipment come in different textures and materials. For our two pen choices, our recommendation is for sport balls like footballs, basketballs, plastic/metal equipment like helmets or baseball bats, shoes, hats, etc.. In general, anything that is a fabric like a baseball hat or jersey, you are going to want to go with a permanent marker. Otherwise, for all other equipment that has a hard surface or non-porous material, paint pens will be your best choice for autographs that will last longer and pop more.

#1 Uni Posca Paint Pens – Medium Bullet Tip – Metallic Silver

If you are getting anything signed larger than a baseball, use the largest pen tip size you can, anything medium to broad size pen tip. Also, Posca paint pens on Amazon are pretty expensive, but can be found in store at Michaels. Other paint pens that can be found online we’ve seen others recommend are DecoColor and Sharpie Paint Pens. Just make sure you select an oil-based paint marker.

Pros:

• Comes in a variety of colors, so you can match the team color. Otherwise, when in doubt, we mostly end up using Metallic Silver, which universally seems to work across all items. The color is light enough to pop

• Fully opaque so the ink pops on your item

• Autographs with paint pens will last longer than permanent markers as they don’t tend to fade

Cons:

• For any glossy surface, like a football helmet, make sure to wipe down with microfiber cloth. Otherwise, paint can streak on items

• Not a great pen choice when the player in a rush with other people surrounding them. We’ve seen athletes press down too hard and pain will rush out

#2 Sharpie Permanent Marker – Fine Point – Blue Ink

Sharpie permanent markers are inexpensive and can be found everywhere. We’d rather reach for a paint pen first before a marker because of how opaque they are and pop on your ball, baseball bat or helmet. Permanent markers dry immediately, so they are great if you are in a crowded environment do avoid any smearing.

Pros:

• Permanent and fade-resistant. Permanent markers work well if signing any fabric

• Dries faster, which is really important if you are getting autographs during a quick interaction like a game or practice

• Less expensive than paint pens

Cons:

• Slightly transparent, so you see colors behind the ink

• Won’t pop like a paint pen

• We’ve seen permanent markers fade over time on items when not protected

Example of Fine Tip Permanent Ink on Baseball Bat

Best Pen for Autographs on a Funko Pop

There is only one pen type to choose from when getting the box of your Funko Pop signed, a medium tip oil-based paint marker. The majority of autographs we’ve seen on boxes have been on the window of the box, which is why it’s important to have a pen that is bright and will adhere to the plastic. Permanent markers are too dark and transparent, so they never turn out as well as a paint pen. There are several paint marker brands people will recommend, including Deco or Uni Posca, but this is our choice based on value and how easy it can be found to purchase.

#1 Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker, Medium Point - White

As with all paint pens, just make sure you allow the paint to dry after getting a signature. We’ve timed it to take up to 5 minutes at least before it’s dry enough to want to move around. Also, make sure you wipe the window down with a micro-fiber cloth to remove any oils. When in doubt, go with white to have your signature stand out, but we’ve seen people match colors with the accent colors on boxes that look great as well, it’s your personal preference. If you are sending in your pop for a signature, we recommend you flatten out the box and fold along the edge of the window. Though this will create a crease in the plastic, you won’t be able to notice when you un-fold the pop box. This will avoid the signature from spilling over to the side window and will look cut off when you display your pop.

Pros:

• Sharpie paint markers can be found nearly everywhere and are cost effective

• Comes in many different colors to match your pop box

• Permanent and the signature will really standout

Cons:

• If the window isn’t wiped with a microfiber cloth to remove any oils, your paint may streak on the window

• Paint will take longer to dry, so not ideal if trying to get a signature while person is rushed or in crowded situation

Best Pen for Autographs on Cards

Of all the items to get signed, an autograph on a high value sports card can have the biggest impact on the overall value of your signed item. Many grading companies will assign an autograph grade on a card, which will put your card in population report to help add to its scarcity, which will increase the value in your cards. Cards companies today work with athletes to have an on-card autograph that can be pulled from a pack of cards, which we’ve seen “in-person” autographs on the same card push the same high value. Since sports cards stand to gain the most value with an autograph, it’s really important to make sure you choose the right pen.

#1 Sharpie Permanent Marker – Fine Point – Blue Ink

Based on our experience, we’d use these pens if the player is in a rush because of how fast they dry as well as adhere to most surfaces, both glossy and paper cards. Blue is our preferred choice as it’s one of the brightest colors to help pop over black.

Pros:

• Works on all card surfaces, from paper to glossy cards like Bowman Chrome or Panini Prizm shiny

• Permanent and fade-resistant.

• Easier to get an Gem Auto Grade from authentication companies pen as it’s less resistant to smudge while being used and adheres better on glossy surfaces

• Dries faster, which is really important if you are getting autographs during a quick interaction like a game or practice

• Cheaper of the all the options between Staedtler or paint pens and can be easily found

Cons:

• Slightly transparent, so you see colors behind the ink

• Won’t pop like a paint pen

• Can age quickly, so the blue may change based on the age of the pen. Sharpie’s brands can be found just about anywhere and they are the cheapest of all 3 options here

Example of Blue Sharpie Fine Tip on a Baseball Card

#2 Staedtler Lumocolor Permanent Markers – Fine Point – Blue Ink

Staedtler Lumocolor Permanent Markers are rumored to be the choice of card companies for when their athletes do signings. Their smudge-proof and waterproof properties ensure the signature lasts and have a high propensity to get a PSA Auto 10 rating.

Pros:

• Works on all card surfaces, from paper to glossy cards like Bowman Chrome or Panini Prizm shiny

• Smudge-proof and waterproof – This pen dries very fast

• Available in fine and broad tips. We recommend the fine tip for cards

Cons:

• Limited color options

• Fine tip may not be visible on dark surfaces

• German company, which these pens are harder to find and have led to be more expensive than sharpie

#3. Uni Posca Paint Pens – Fine Bullet Tip

We’ve seen athletes press down to hard and pain will rush out and ruin the card. There are other paint pens that are recommended as well, such as DecoColor paint pens that would work great too. We’ve had good experience with Uni Posca and love how the colors turn out on cards. We’d recommend paint pens on glossy cards, not paper cards as they will stick much easier and not bleed. Make sure you use a microfiber cloth to wipe any oils that may be on your glossy card to avoid any bleeding or smearing. Also, though these paint pens look great, only use it if you know you have some time to let it dry out immediately as you can quickly smear the paint if it doesn’t have time to dry.

Pros:

• Comes in a variety of colors, so you can match the pen to the card

• Fully opaque so the ink really pops when on the card

• If signed on glossy card and the autograph is really bad or want to remove a personalization, you can use nail polish to remove the paint

Cons:

• Takes too long to dry and can smudge easily. Make sure to wipe your cards, especially glossy cards, with a microfiber towel to remove any oils

• Not a great pen choice when the player in a rush with other people surrounding them

Example of Fine Tip Paint Pen on a Baseball Card

Top 6 Autograph Tips

1. Test on like surface - Test your pen on a “like” surface before going out to get an autograph. We keep spare cards of all different surface types to test our pens on before make a decision which pen to use.

2. For in-person sporting events, avoid paint pens - For in person signing at a sporting event, like at a game or practice, we try to avoid paint pens because they take to long to dry. We’ve timed that paint can take up to 4 minutes to dry, but in the heat of the moment trying to get an autograph, go with a faster drying pen like a ballpoint or permanent marker. There is usually a crowd around athletes who are nice enough to sign your items for free, which can often lead to handing back and forth cards and could potentially smear your paint.

3. Use microfiber cloth to prep cards - For card preparation, we recommend to only use a micro fiber cloth to remove any oils that may be on your card. We know other people swear to use baby powder or eraser to make cards with slick surfaces, like a Bowman Chrome, so the ink will “stick” easier. What actually happens with baby powder is it creates micro scratches so the ink can stick. If you are considering sending your card in to get professionally graded, they see these scratches under their microscope and deduct your grade. We’ve had luck with a permanent marker or paint pen that we just stick with wiping away your card with any oils.

4. Paint signature can be removed – We’ve had bad autographs from athletes while they are in a rush on expensive items. If you get a signed item by an athlete who gave an autograph like likely wouldn’t get authenticated or is a really expensive item you’d rather try to get resigned later, you can use non-acetone nail polish remover to wipe away the paint. Also, DecoColor offers a paint remover product as well. Consider this if you have an item that was signed with a personalized name on it you want to remove so you can sell your item.

5. Use bright colors on dark backgrounds – This one is pretty obvious, but make sure you are choosing a pen color that will have the autograph pop. Our favorite pen on most items is a silver metallic paint pen with a medium pen stroke. These seem to be an industry favorite for larger items to have the autograph really stand out.

6. Protect your signature – Get a UV protective case to help your signature from fading, including one of the many we have at MemorabiliaDisplays.com. Make sure to avoid keeping your signed item outside or in direct sunlight in a room.

*** About Memorabilia Displays***

Memorabilia Displays is the world's leading online sports collectible display case retailer. We work with every major supplier to bring you the biggest selection across all sports memorabilia cases all with free store wide shipping. We aim to deliver cases that fit every budget with the lowest prices to help you find what you need.