Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #12a
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 zig-zag 'M' with small trailing loop letters, then a 'P' with a descending loop-like form and a short terminal stroke. The signature is somewhat taller relative to its width. | Same abbreviated 'M' + 'P' structure in R1–R8. The 'P' group usually ends in a long horizontal trailing stroke, giving a flatter, wider shape. | Natural variation |
| Slant and baseline | Upright strokes slightly right-leaning in the reference frame. The baseline drifts slightly, consistent with signing vertically on a small sticker. | Similar slant across R1, R2 and R6. Baselines are mostly level on horizontal placements. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' formed as a fast angular zig-zag with a peaked first stroke. It is followed by small cursive humps or loops, then a 'P' with a stem and bowl flowing into the 'gt'-type remainder. | Identical 'M' zig-zag construction (R1, R2, R3, R6, R7). Small cursive connector letters and the 'P' stem-bowl-tail sequence are the same. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Fluid connections within the 'M' group and within the 'P' group, with a gap between the two name parts. | Same two-group layout with a gap between first and last name and connected strokes within each group. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick upstroke into the 'M'. The terminal stroke is shorter and hooks upward near the pink tongue artwork rather than running out flat. | Usually ends with an extended horizontal trailing flourish (most pronounced in R1, R3, R6, R7). | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Confident, tapered strokes with no visible tremor or blunt starts and stops at this resolution. | Fast, fluent marker strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Darker ink on downstrokes and in the 'M' peaks, lighter on connecting upstrokes. | Similar light-heavy alternation in R1, R2, R6. | Match |
| Spacing | Compact. The two name groups sit closer together than in most references. | Generally wider spacing with a longer tail. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The terminal flourish is abbreviated. | No underline. The long horizontal terminal stroke is a frequent but not universal feature. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the right side of the image area, over the art near the lily pad and tongue, in blue marker. | Stickers signed horizontally across the art in blue or black marker. Placement varies from piece to piece, as expected for hand-signed open-edition stickers. | 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 | -4.6° | -13.0–-1.4° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | -6.1° | -2.7–1.6° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.301 | 0.168–0.253 | Edge of range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 5.21× | 2.4–6.18× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.546 | 0.452–0.643 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 37 | 25.0–128.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 9 | 12.0–19.0 | In range |
The computer measured seven features of the ink and compared them with three of the clearest reference signatures. Six fall within Pingitore's normal range: the lean of the upright strokes, the overall writing angle, how much ink travels across the signature, how the line thickness varies, how many closed loops there are, and how many separate pen strokes there are. One feature, how tall the signature is relative to its width, sits at the edge of his usual range. That fits what you can see: this one is a bit more compact, with a shorter finishing stroke, likely because it was signed vertically in a tight spot beside the artwork. Overall the numbers support the signature being consistent with his genuine examples, though they cannot by themselves prove authenticity.
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open-edition sticker (No. 12a). All references come from the same recent period of Magic Marker Art releases: Horrorible Kids Series 9, Nintendopes and Slop Culture Kids stickers, and a numbered JSA print. They are close contemporaries of ours, so career drift is not a factor. Differences are best explained by surface (glossy sticker stock over dark art), marker type (blue vs black felt-tip) and orientation. Ours was signed vertically along the right edge, while the references are mostly horizontal.
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.
