Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #40b
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 'M P' signature with a long trailing terminal. A compact zig-zag 'M' precedes a 'P' or looped mid-section and a 't'-like crossed ending that runs well to the right. | R1, R4, R8 and R2 show the same three-unit structure. Each has a zig-zag 'M', a looped 'P' mid-group, and a crossed terminal with an extended horizontal finish. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate right slant. The baseline rises slightly left to right relative to the signing orientation; the signature was written along the card's right edge, rotated. | References show a similar moderate right slant with a slightly rising or level baseline (R1, R8, R4). | Match |
| Letter construction – 'M' | Angular zig-zag 'M' with a hooked entry stroke and two sharp peaks, read like a 'zw'. | Same angular zig-zag 'M' construction in R1, R3, R4, R8. R5 is more compressed. | Match |
| Letter construction – mid-section / 'P' and descender loop | Upright stroke with a loop and a descending 'g'-like form below the baseline. | R1 and R8 show a 'P' followed by a descending looped form. R2, R6 and R7 show the looped mid-group with varying clarity. | Natural variation |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' is separate from the mid-section. The mid-section flows into the terminal without a lift. | Same break after 'M' and connected mid-to-terminal in R1, R4, R8. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the 'M'. The terminal crossbar is a long, thinning horizontal finish with a flicked exit. | R1 and R8 show the identical long tapered horizontal exit stroke. R4 and R6 show a shorter version. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid and fast, with tapered terminals and no visible tremor or hesitation. Ink density varies along strokes. | Fast, confident marker strokes throughout the references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the downstrokes of the 'M' and loop, lighter on the extended exit stroke. | Similar heavy downstrokes and a light trailing exit in R1 and R8. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the 'M' and the mid-section. The terminal is spaced closely to the mid-section. | Comparable spacing in R1, R3, R4, R8. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended crossbar serves as the flourish. | No underline in any reference. The extended crossbar flourish is present in R1 and R8. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the right side of the card front, over the artwork and crossing the character's hand. Moderate size. | Reference crops are signed over artwork in various orientations. Placement on open-edition stickers is not standardized. | Natural variation |
| Ink / instrument | Blue fine-to-medium marker. | R1 and R8 blue; R2–R7 black or dark blue. The artist evidently uses multiple marker colors. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Open Edition artist-auto sticker, current-era signing by the artist. All eight references are contemporaneous artist-signed parody sticker issues: Horrorible Kids Series 9 and the Nintendopes Open Edition. These are the same era and the same product type, likely the same marker type, so era drift is not a meaningful factor. Differences are mainly attributable to background color, marker wear, and signing speed.
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.
