Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #18b
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 zig-zag 'M' with trailing small letters, a gap, then a 'P' with a closed bowl, compressed letters and a long horizontal terminal stroke. Height-to-width 0.194. | Same two-part abbreviated 'M… P…' structure in R1–R8, with height-to-width 0.16–0.246 (average 0.19). | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Near-upright letters with slight lean (-4.6°). Writing line nearly level relative to the signature (-0.4°), although it is written vertically on the card. | Upright slant -12.4° to -0.3° (average -2.9°). Writing angle -2.6° to 1.3°. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' built from a tall initial downstroke and sharp angular peaks running into low cursive humps. 'P' formed with a tall stem and a looped bowl that flows into the following letters. | R1, R3, R6 and R8 show the same angular 'M' with a sharp apex and the same looped 'P' stem-and-bowl construction. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | First-name letters run continuously after the 'M'. The surname is connected through the 'P' bowl into the compressed middle letters. | Same continuous linking in R1, R4, R6 and R7. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a firm downstroke. Ends in a long, fast horizontal stroke crossing the final letters and extending to the right with a tapered finish. | The long horizontal finishing crossbar is a consistent hallmark in R1, R4, R6, R7 and R8, which also have tapered finishes. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid strokes with tapered ends. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt stops at this resolution. | Rapid, fluid execution throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Moderate width variation on a marker-type line; thickness variation 0.469. | Thickness variation 0.439–0.675; typical marker pressure. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the first-name and surname groups, with letters inside each group compressed. | Same spacing habit across the references. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The long terminal crossbar serves as the only flourish. | No underlines; the terminal crossbar flourish is present. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the right side of the artwork in blue/blue-green ink, partly overlapping the figure's arm. Size is proportionate to the sticker. | Signatures placed over the artwork in blue or black marker, in similar proportion. The references are crops, so their exact placement is not fully assessable. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the crop. Ink appears to vary naturally along the strokes. Live ink cannot be confirmed through the slab photo. | Not applicable. | 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 | -4.6° | -12.4–-0.3° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | -0.4° | -2.6–1.3° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.194 | 0.16–0.246 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 3.02× | 2.32–5.5× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.469 | 0.439–0.675 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 18 | 21.0–94.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 21 | 12.0–22.0 | In range |
The computer measured the signature's ink trace and compared it with six clean examples of Mark Pingitore's signature. The three measurements used for the decision were the lean of the upright strokes, the overall angle of the writing and the height-to-width shape. All three sit comfortably within the range his own signatures show. Four more measurements are sensitive to photo quality: ink path length, stroke thickness variation, closed loops and number of separate strokes. These were also within his normal range, though they were not counted in the decision. Nothing stood out as unusual, so the numbers support authentication, consistent with the visual comparison.
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open-edition sticker. The references are R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9) and R2–R8 (Nintendopes open-edition stickers), all from the same Magic Marker Art product line and very likely the same 2023–2024 period. The signer is a contemporary artist signing his own product, so no meaningful change over time is expected. Remaining differences mostly reflect surface (glossy sticker stock versus card), pen colour and signing speed.
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.
