Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #35b
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 abbreviated signature: angular zig-zag 'M' (Z/N-like), short gap, tall 'P' with a trailing looped/hooked terminal; slightly taller relative to width | Same abbreviated 'M'-gap-'P'+terminal structure in R1–R8; height-to-width somewhat lower on average | Natural variation |
| Slant and baseline | Mild forward lean on uprights; baseline roughly level when the signature is read rotated | Mild forward lean, level to slightly drifting baseline (R1, R3, R4, R8) | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' made as a fast angular stroke with a sharp return and short descending leg; 'P' built from a tall downstroke with a bowl that flows into the terminal | Identical angular 'M' construction in R1, R3, R4, R7, R8; 'P' bowl flowing right in R1, R3, R5, R8 | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Pen lift between the 'M' unit and 'P'; 'P' connects into the ending | Same lift pattern between initials across references | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on 'M'; ending is a loop/hook rather than a long horizontal crossbar | Tapered entries; endings vary from a long horizontal crossbar (R1, R3, R8) to a compressed looped finish (R4, R7) | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with tapered ends; no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution | Fast, fluid marker strokes | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Broad marker line with modest width variation and lighter tapered ends | Similar broad marker with tapering | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between 'M' unit and 'P' | Same gap in all references | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline; looped terminal | No underlines; terminal crossbar or loop | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically in the open blue field to the right of the figure, blue marker, moderate size | Signed across open areas of the sticker art in blue or black marker; orientation varies | Natural variation |
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 | -7.7° | -15.7–-2.4° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | 1.2° | -4.2–2.1° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.243 | 0.169–0.208 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 5.02× | 2.31–5.39× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.468 | 0.401–0.636 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 28 | 6.0–81.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 14 | 5.0–18.0 | In range |
Seven measurements were taken by software from the ink traces and compared with three clean reference signatures (R1, R3, R4). Every one falls within the normal range of the artist's own variation. Slant (-7.7° vs an average of -7.03°) and overall angle are nearly identical to the references. Height-to-width is the furthest from average at 1.4 spreads, still normal and likely influenced by the vertical signing orientation. The photo-sensitive features (ink travel, stroke thickness variation, loops and stroke count) are also all normal. Overall, the numbers support the visual finding that the signature is consistent with Mark Pingitore's references, though they cannot by themselves prove live ink.
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids sticker (Open Edition, No. 35b), signed by the artist. R2–R8 are Nintendopes Open Edition artist-auto stickers from the same artist-run sticker line and appear contemporaneous, so they are the closest era matches. R1, a Horrorible Kids Series 9 autograph card, is likely a similar or slightly different recent period. No meaningful era gap is expected. All references show the same compact abbreviated 'M P' form our signature uses.
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.
