Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #8b
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 | Two-part abbreviated signature. A wide zigzag 'M' (reads like 'Nl') is followed by a looped 'P' and a trailing 'gt'-type finish. The M occupies roughly the left 40% of the signature. | R1–R8 all show the same two-unit abbreviation: a zigzag M block and then a P-loop with a trailing t-cross ending. M-to-P proportions are similar. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | The signature is placed rotated, running vertically along the card's right edge. Relative to the signature itself, it has a moderate right slant on a slightly rising baseline. | Right slant with a flat to slightly rising baseline in R1, R3, R4 and R8. R6 and R7 are a bit more compressed and steeper. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The M is built as a tall left downstroke, a diagonal and a short hooked final stroke. The P has a tall stem with a closed upper loop and is followed by a descending g-like form. | The M construction is identical in R1, R3, R4, R5 and R8, with the same hooked last peak. The P stem and loop match R1 and R3 closely. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | There is a break between the M and P units. Strokes within each unit are connected. | The same lift between the M and P units appears across R1–R8. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The start is a tapered entry on the M. The end of the P unit runs into or behind the printed red banner in the crop. The full slab image shows the stroke continuing upward toward the top of the card. | References end with a long horizontal t-cross or exit flourish (prominent in R1, R3 and R8). | Not assessable |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes look fluid with tapered ends and no visible tremor or blunt stops at this resolution. | Fast, fluid marker strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Blue marker with some density variation along strokes. Slightly heavier on the downstrokes. | Similar marker pressure pattern, with heavier downstrokes in R2, R4 and R5. | Match |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the M and P units. | Comparable gap in R1, R3 and R4. Tighter in R6 and R7. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The terminal flourish is only partially visible in the crop. | No underlines. A horizontal terminal t-cross or exit stroke is typical. | Not assessable |
| Placement and size | Placed vertically in the open right margin of the art, beside the character. Medium size. | References are placed across the art in open areas at similar scale. R1 is also blue ink on Magic Marker Art product. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open-edition artist auto. The references are Magic Marker Art / Horrorible Kids Series 9 (R1) and Nintendopes open-edition stickers (R2–R8), all from the same recent (roughly 2023–2024) run of self-published artist autos. All references come from the same signing era and similar card-stock and sticker surfaces. Era-driven variation is not expected to be significant.
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.
