Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #7b
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 compact angular 'M' block, a space, then a taller 'P' complex with a descending loop and a long rightward terminal. Roughly 3:1 width-to-height. | R1, R5, R7 and R8 show the same two-block 'M … P-g-t' structure and similar proportions. R4 and R6 are more compressed and faster. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Mild right slant. Baseline roughly horizontal with a slight rise into the final stroke. | R1, R3, R5 and R7 show the same mild right slant and level-to-rising baseline. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'M' | Angular zig-zag: a leading upstroke, a sharp peak, then down-up strokes ending in a tall narrow loop/stem, reading like 'Nl'. | Same zig-zag 'Nl' construction in R1, R2, R3, R5 and R7. R4 and R6 are more abbreviated but follow the same pattern. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'P' and following letters | Tall 'P' stem with a rounded bowl. Then a looped descender ('g'-like) dropping below the baseline, and a final 't'-type stroke. | R1 shows a near-identical 'P', descender loop and 't' crossbar. R5, R7 and R8 have the same descender and terminal design. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Pen lift between the 'M' block and the 'P'. The 'P' complex runs continuously into the descender and terminal. | Same lift point and continuous 'P' complex in R1, R3, R5 and R7. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a short lead-in upstroke on the 'M'. Ends with a long, tapered horizontal stroke extending well right. | R1, R7 and R8 show the same long tapered horizontal finish. R2 and R4 are shorter but have the same taper. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid strokes with tapered terminals. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt stops at this resolution. | All references show fast, confident marker strokes. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Width varies: heavier on the downstrokes of the 'M' and 'P' stem, lighter on the terminal. | Similar heavy-downstroke, light-terminal pattern in R1, R5 and R7. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the 'M' block and the 'P' complex. | Same gap across R1–R8. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No separate underline. The extended final stroke acts as a horizontal flourish. | Same in R1, R7 and R8. No underlines in any reference. | Match |
| Placement and size | Lower front of the card, above the copyright line, spanning roughly half the card width, in dark green marker. | R1 has a similar lower-front placement and scale. Sticker references are cropped, so placement cannot be fully confirmed. R4 shows green ink use. | Natural variation |
| Ink and surface | Dark green marker on a yellow glossy sticker surface. | Blue (R1, R7, R8), black/navy (R2, R3, R5, R6) and green (R4) markers on varied backgrounds. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition artist-signed sticker. R2–R8 are Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition artist autos, the same product format and almost certainly the same 2023–2024 period. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9, Magic Marker Art) is also recent. All references are contemporaneous with ours, so era drift is not a factor. Differences come down to ink color (blue, black or dark green marker), background color 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.
