Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #20a
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 two-part abbreviated signature: a zigzag 'M' form, a gap, then a tall 'P' followed by a low run ending in a crossed 't'-like terminal. | R1, R2, R5 and R6 show the same two-cluster structure: zigzag initial, gap, tall P-stem and a crossed terminal. Height-to-width ratio is within the reference range. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Mostly upright with a slight lean (measured -5.2°) and a nearly level writing line (0.9°) after rotating the crop to horizontal. | Upright to slight lean (-13° to -2°) on level or slightly varying baselines. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' is made as a fast connected zigzag with a looped return. The 'P' has a tall downstroke and an open bowl. The terminal is a horizontal-led run with a crossing stroke. | Same construction across R1–R6. R4 and R8 render the M more loosely and the terminal more scribbled. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The M is written as one continuous movement. The P section connects into the terminal with fewer lifts than average. | Generally continuous within each cluster. Pen-lift count varies between examples. | Natural variation |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the M. Flicked exit on the terminal crossbar. No blunt starts or stops visible at this resolution. | Tapered entries and a fast crossbar exit, most clearly in R1 and R6. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with no visible tremor or hesitation. | Fast and fluid throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Moderate variation in line width, heavier on the downstrokes. | Similar downstroke emphasis in R1, R2 and R6. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the M cluster and the P cluster. | Same gap is present in all clean references. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. Terminal crossbar only. | No underline. Terminal crossbar only. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically, running bottom-to-top along the right side over the artwork. Size is proportionate to the card. | Reference crops are oriented horizontally, so original orientation on the card cannot be confirmed. Artists commonly vary placement on sticker cards. | Not assessable |
| Reproduction signs | No halftone or dot pattern visible in the ink. The ink appears to sit over the printed gradient, and its density varies naturally. | N/A | Not assessable |
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 | -5.2° | -13.0–-2.0° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | 0.9° | -2.5–1.6° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.217 | 0.168–0.218 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 3.6× | 2.4–4.06× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.594 | 0.452–0.608 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 30 | 25.0–52.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 7 | 11.0–13.0 | Edge of range |
Software traced the ink and compared seven features with three clean Pingitore reference signatures. The slant, the overall angle of the writing and the height-to-width shape all fall well within his normal range, and these are the most reliable features. Ink travel, stroke thickness variation and loop count are also normal. The only borderline result is the number of separate strokes: ours shows 7, while his references show 11 to 13. That feature is easily distorted by photos, and here the dark ink sits on a dark background, so it is a prompt for a closer look rather than a concern. Overall, the numbers support authenticating this signature.
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open-edition artist auto, the same parody-sticker product line and period as the Nintendopes (R2–R8) and Horrorible Kids (R1) references. Era variation is not a factor. Differences in surface (glossy sticker stock over dark printed gradients) and pen (fine-to-medium blue/black marker) explain most of the visible variation.
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.
