Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #20b
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: an angular zigzag 'M' initial followed by a compressed 'P' / surname scrawl. Long and narrow, about half the card height, signed vertically. | R1–R8 all show the same abbreviated 'M' zigzag plus 'Pgt'-type surname with a terminal crossing stroke. The forms are long and low. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong forward slant relative to the writing direction. The baseline runs upward along the card's right edge, which reads as horizontal once rotated. | Moderate to strong right slant on a fairly straight horizontal baseline (R2, R4, R7 especially). | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is built from sharp up-down peaks forming a zigzag, which matches the reference initial. The surname portion is compressed and less legible, with a looped 'P'-like form. | The 'M' is consistently a sharp multi-peak zigzag, sometimes with a trailing 'l/u' hook (R1, R4, R6). The 'P' is an open loop and the 't' has a long crossbar. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The initial is connected internally. There is a gap or lift between the 'M' and the surname. | A pen lift between the 'M' block and the surname appears in every reference. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the 'M'. The terminal stroke is less clearly extended than in the references, possibly because the crop is cut off or the space was cramped. | Tapered entries. A long extended terminal crossbar on the 't' is typical (R1, R6, R8). | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes look fluid and rapid, with tapering and no visible tremor at this resolution. | Fast, fluid marker strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Ink density varies along the strokes, darker on the downstrokes. | Similar variable density with heavier downstrokes in R2, R4, R7. | Match |
| Spacing | Compressed, especially in the surname portion. | Spacing ranges from fairly open (R1, R6) to compressed (R3, R5). | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. No distinct flourish is visible beyond the terminal stroke. | No underlines. The only flourish is the extended 't' crossbar. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Signed over the artwork on the right side, oriented vertically, in a blue-black fine-tip marker. | Signed directly over the artwork in blue or black marker, usually horizontally across the lower or central area. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our signature is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition artist-auto card. R2–R8 are Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition artist autos from the same product family, and R1 is a Horrorible Kids Series 9 autograph card. All appear to be from the same recent (c. 2023–2024) era. No era-driven variation needs to be explained. Ours was signed running vertically up the right side of the artwork rather than horizontally, so the card was likely rotated while signing.
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.
