Autograph Authentication Report
2023 Leaf Draft Rookie - Gold Auto · #BA-JR5
Findings
Signature comparison
This card. The signature as cropped from the slab photo (front).
Below, the known examples Crown compared it with. Examples with stronger proof (signed in front of staff, or certified by an independent authenticator) carry the most weight.
Feature by feature
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall form and proportions | Compact two-part signature: a zigzag 'J' initial fused with a tall looped 'R', then a small run of abbreviated lowercase letters and a long rising terminal stroke. | R1–R7 all show the same structure: zigzag J/R complex, short lowercase cluster, long upward finishing stroke. Proportions are closest to R1, R3 and R4. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate rightward lean on uprights; baseline rises gently left to right. | Same rightward lean and rising baseline throughout. R5 and R6 rise a little more steeply. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | J begins with a short leftward hook, cuts sharply up-right, then drops into a long descending diagonal that forms the R stem. The R bowl is a tall narrow loop, followed by small 'e/d'-like forms. | Identical construction sequence in R1, R2, R3, R4 and R7. R5 and R6 show a slightly rounder R bowl and a more developed lowercase run. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | J and R are joined through the descending diagonal; lowercase letters are connected in a quick run. | Same J-to-R connection via the diagonal in all clear references. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick hooked entry at left. Ends with a long, tapered rising stroke to the upper right. | Same hooked entry and long tapered rising terminal in R1–R7. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with tapered entries and exits. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt stops at this resolution. | Similar rapid line quality across references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the downward diagonal and R loop, lighter on the terminal flick. | Comparable pressure pattern in R2, R4 and R7. | Match |
| Spacing | Tight spacing between the R and the lowercase cluster; terminal stroke extends well right. | Same tight internal spacing and extended terminal. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline; the rising terminal is the only flourish. | No underline in any reference; same terminal flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Centered in the white Leaf signature box, filling most of its width. | R1, R3 and R7 (same product) show the same placement and scale in the white box. | Match |
| Signs of reproduction | No halftone or dot pattern visible. Ink appears to sit on the signature panel with natural density variation. | N/A | Not assessable |
Measurements
Software traced the ink and measured it against the known examples. The shaded band is the signer's normal range across those examples; the gold marker is this card.
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Normal range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slant of upright strokes | -13.2° | -20.9–-12.7° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | 5.2° | 4.9–12.1° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.282 | 0.233–0.33 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 3.85× | 3.25–4.25× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.524 | 0.39–0.497 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 10 | 0.0–8.0 | Edge of range | |
| Separate strokes | 12 | 2.0–8.0 | Edge of range |
Our measuring software compared this autograph with seven of his other 2023 rookie autographs. The slant, overall angle, height-to-width shape, amount of ink travel and stroke thickness variation all fall within the normal range of his own signatures. Two counts came out higher than his references: closed loops and separate strokes. Both are sensitive to photo and scan quality, and a sharp slab scan can split thin lines into extra pieces, so these are flags to look at closer rather than evidence against the signature. Overall, the numbers support the visual finding that this autograph is consistent with Jalen Redmond's signature.
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2023 Leaf Draft rookie card, so it was likely signed in 2023 for the pack-issued autograph program. Every reference comes from the same 2023 rookie window: R1, R3, R5, R7 and R8 appear to be Leaf Draft on-card autographs, and R2 is a 2023 Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket. R4 and R6 are likely similar rookie-card autographs. No era drift is expected. Differences between references reflect signing speed and surface (glossy Leaf label versus Panini foil).
How Crown authenticates autographs: the signature is compared with known examples gathered from Crown's own authenticated cards, independent authenticators and public listings, measured by software, examined by an AI forensic model, and signed off by Crown Grading staff. The decision above is Crown's.
