Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #36a
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 sharp zigzag 'M' initial, a gap, then a compressed 'P' plus 'gt'-type surname abbreviation with an extended terminal. It is written vertically along the right border and reads bottom to top. | R1–R8 all show the same abbreviated form: an angular 'M' (reads like 'Nl'), a separated large-looped 'P', and a compressed 'gt' ending in a long horizontal t-cross or terminal. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Rotated about 90° to run up the card edge. Relative to its own baseline it appears slightly rising, with right-leaning uprights. | References are horizontal with a mild upward drift and a right slant (R1, R6, R8 most visible). | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is built as angular peaks with an extended lead-in diagonal. The 'P' is a tall stem with an open bowl. The ending is a compact cluster with a cross stroke. | Same construction in R1, R3, R4 and R6: an angular 'M' with a separate trailing vertical, a 'P' bowl looping back over the stem, and a 'gt' cluster. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The initial is separate from the surname portion. The surname letters are run together. | A consistent break after the initial appears in all references, with run-together surname letters. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the 'M'. The terminal stroke appears to extend beyond the letter cluster. Image resolution limits detail. | Tapered entries, and a long flicked terminal or t-cross, especially in R1, R2 and R6. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes appear fluid with no obvious tremor at this resolution. Some ink skipping or density variation is visible, typical of a marker on a glossy sticker stock. | Fast, confident marker strokes with similar skipping on gloss (R5, R7). | Natural variation |
| Pen pressure pattern | Variable density with heavier pooling at turns. This cannot be confirmed from the photo. | Variable density with heavier turns in R4 and R8. | Not assessable |
| Spacing | A clear gap between the initial and the surname block. | The same gap is present in R1–R8. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended terminal is the only flourish. | No underline in any reference. A long terminal is the only flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Placed vertically in the open right margin beside the artwork, in blue marker. | References are placed horizontally in open areas. Blue ink appears in R1, R3, R6 and R8 and black in others. Orientation varies with available space. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition card, a current-era Magic Marker Art release. References R2–R8 are Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition artist autos and R1 is Horrorible Kids Series 9, all from the same recent 2020s run of Pingitore self-published parody sticker sets. Era drift should be minimal. Differences are more likely due to pen, surface and 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.
