Most sports fans who collect memorabilia are thrilled when they find items that have been autographed by their favorite players. This is especially true when a baseball fan purchases a well-preserved baseball bat with the player’s autograph etched into the wood or written on the bat.

In addition to meaning a great deal to the collector who has such an item, the item is generally considered priceless by the owner. The collector also knows how difficult it is to keep an item, especially an ancient bat. To that end, the list below details what he can do to keep the autographed bat in its most preserved condition.

To preserve and protect the bat, lightly spray the autographed area with a spray hairspray. The lacquer in the hairspray will seal the area but will not damage the autograph. However, before you attempt to spray the bat, you may want to test the brand of hairspray you’re using and spray a similar type of ink on a piece of paper.

After the hairspray has dried and sealed into the autograph on the bat, try handling the bat just one more time and place it where you’d like to store it. The more you handle an old collectible, the faster it will deteriorate. Every time you manipulate the bat is one more instance of its value decreasing, so try to avoid manipulating it unless you absolutely have to move the object.

Moisture destroys collectibles, so remember to keep your autographed bat away from moisture. I don’t want moisture to affect the ink that was used for the autograph. The quality of the autograph will suffer if the bat is exposed to excessive moisture and humidity. In fact, the wood the bat is made from could also be negatively affected.

Next, you’ll want to prevent prolonged sunlight from penetrating the bat. The autograph ink could fade if the bat is exposed to too much sunlight. Another type of light that is not good for ancient bats is fluorescent lighting. So, aside from storing the bat inside a dark area, display case, or closet, just make sure it gets only indirect light.

As the owner of an autographed bat, you’ll probably want to show it off to your friends and family. If you do, it’s wise to just have other people admire the bat from a distance, rather than handle it. To keep your bat safe, you may need to purchase a lockable baseball bat display case. In this way, you will keep your precious bat preserved and protected.

Most display cases are made of wood, and instead of a glass enclosure, clear acrylic window panels are used, which actually block out about 98 percent of ultraviolet rays. Keeping the autographed bat in a display case will make the bat last longer, and since no one will be handling it, you won’t have to worry about accidental stains, nicks, or spills.