Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #43a
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 | Abbreviated two-part signature. A large angular 'M' is followed by a short low-amplitude trailing scrawl, then a looped 'P' and a compressed terminal group ending in a long rightward crossbar. Overall it is wide and low. | Same two-part abbreviated structure in R1–R8. The 'M' zigzag plus low scrawl is followed by 'P' with a loop and a terminal 't'-like crossbar. R2 and R5 are near-identical in proportion. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate right slant with a roughly level to slightly rising baseline. | Moderate right slant in R1, R2, R5 and R8. R3, R4 and R7 rise slightly or are more cramped. | Match |
| Letter construction ('M') | Begins with a lead-in hook into a tall left upstroke, then a sharp zigzag of peaks with the final descender cutting low. | Same zigzag 'M' with a tall first peak and pointed apexes in R1, R2, R5, R6 and R8. R4 is rounder. | Match |
| Letter construction ('P' and terminal) | Tall 'P' stem with a small upper loop. A compressed cluster follows, then a crossing stroke that extends well to the right. | Tall 'P' with a loop and an extended right crossbar in R1, R2, R5 and R8. The crossbar length varies (longest in R1). | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' runs into a short connected trailing scrawl. There is a lift before 'P'. The terminal group is connected into the crossbar. | Same lift between the first-name and surname segments across all references, with connected trailing scrawl after 'M'. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Small lead-in hook at the 'M' start. The crossbar ends with a tapered, flicked exit. | Lead-in hook visible in R1, R2 and R8. Tapered exits on the crossbar in R1, R2 and R5. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with sharp apexes and tapered terminals. No visible tremor, patching or hesitation at this resolution. | Fast, fluid execution throughout the references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the 'M' downstrokes and 'P' stem, lighter on the connectors and crossbar taper. Reflective highlights vary along the strokes. | Similar pressure emphasis on the downstrokes in R2, R5 and R7. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the 'M' segment and the 'P' segment, with a compressed surname body. | Same spacing habit throughout. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended terminal crossbar acts as the only flourish. | No underlines. The extended crossbar is a consistent flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the right edge of the sticker art, overlapping the logo edge and orange background, in black marker. | References are cropped, so orientation on card cannot be confirmed. R2 is black on an orange background, the same ink and background pairing as ours. Size relative to the card cannot be compared from the crops. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open-edition sticker, a Pingitore/Magic Marker Art self-produced parody sticker line. It is very likely contemporaneous with the references: R2–R8 are the same artist's Nintendopes open-edition sticker autos and R1 is a Horrorible Kids Series 9 card, all roughly 2023–2024. No meaningful era drift is expected. Differences should be read as surface (glossy sticker stock), pen (fine vs. broad marker) and speed variation.
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.
