Geoff:
You could test a card that you may have more than one of to see if powdering is required. Write on it with a sharpie to see if it will bleed up.
If it bleeds up, use a dry eraser marker to get the sharpie off of the card. It should come off. I am not responsible for the damage to your cards. You are following my suggestion at your own risk.

To "powder" a card you put baby power on the card and wipe it over the surface of the card.
You are trying to rough up the surface of the card to let the ink adhere to the card. I would use a bowl or some container to catch the extra powder, you can reuse the powder on additional cards.

I have used a Pentel Hi Polymer Eraser (from Staples, Walmart, ...etc) and used the eraser to rub off some of the gloss from the card.

I would recommend that you use a stadler medium or fine point pen if you are getting the cards signed in person. I have had success using this pen without rubbing or powdering. I have also seen the cards bubble up if a thick stadler is used. These pens are more expensive than a sharpie, so don't count on the person you are getting ttm to have one.

Congrats Chase. I pulled a Thomas Field and Khris Davis. And last nite I pulled a Cliff Lee signature from the MLB box

I was actually asking about if i was to get signatures TTM or IP. Do signatures smudge or do they come out fine on these cards. I guess any of the Topps cards would be part of this question.

I have had some luck with pro debut the best hit I pulled was a Lonnie Chisenhall autograph /199

I just bought some 2011 Topps Pro Debut cards and was wondering if anyone has had any success obtaining autographs on them and if they need to be "powdered" or if they sign ok without it. I was lucky enough to get a Bryce Harper in them, but want to send to others that are on the way "up".

Thanks....and any help on how to "powder" would be great too....thanks again!