Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #37a
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 | Three-part abbreviated signature: angular zig-zag 'M' with trailing 'l'-like loop, a tall 'P' with a closed bowl, and a compressed 'gt/t' tail. Written vertically along the right side of the figure, reading bottom to top. | All eight show the same three-part abbreviated 'M(l) P..t' structure. The first-name block is roughly equal in length to the surname block. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Rotated about 80–90° to run up the card edge. Relative to its own axis the letters keep a mild forward slant and a fairly straight baseline. | Mostly horizontal with a slight upward drift (R1, R3, R7). R8 has a flatter baseline. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is a sharp sawtooth stroke followed by an upright loop. The 'P' has a tall stem and a looped bowl that flows into the remaining letters. | Same sawtooth 'M' plus loop (R1, R3, R4, R7). Same tall looped 'P' (R1, R2, R5, R6). | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' and loop appear connected. A pen lift is evident between first-name block and 'P', consistent with references. | Consistent lift between the 'Ml' block and the 'P' in every reference. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Ending appears as a crossed 't'-like terminal with a short tail. Fine detail is limited at the crop's resolution. | Terminal 't' cross with a horizontal finishing tail (R1, R3, R4, R7); R8 has an extended horizontal tail. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes look fluid with tapered sections and no visible tremor at this resolution. The crop is low-resolution (approx. 316×48 px), so micro-tremor cannot be excluded. | Fast, confident marker strokes throughout. | Natural variation |
| Pen pressure pattern | Dark blue marker with variable density; heavier at the turns, lighter on the transitions. | Similar variable-density marker (blue in R1, R3, R7, R8; black in R2, R4, R5, R6). | Match |
| Spacing | Compact gap between first-name block and surname block. | Similar compact gap. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline or paraph visible. | None in the references either. | Match |
| Placement and size | Vertical, in the open background beside the figure, spanning roughly one-third of the card height. | The reference crops show horizontal signatures in open areas. Placement varies item to item, which is typical of hand-signing. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our item is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids sticker (No. 37a) published by Magic Marker Art, LLC, the same artist-run publisher as all eight references (Horrorible Kids Series 9, Nintendopes, Slop Culture Kids). These all appear to be contemporaneous, roughly 2023–2025 artist-auto stickers. No meaningful era gap is expected, so differences should come only from surface (glossy sticker stock), marker type and signing orientation.
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.
