Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #7a
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' group, a gap, then a 'P' and trailing 't' group ending in a long rightward crossbar. Wider than tall, roughly 3:1. | R1–R8 all show the same two-part structure with the same gap and a long rightward terminal stroke. Proportions are similar across all references. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate right slant on the upstrokes. The baseline is nearly level with a slight rise into the terminal crossbar. | Moderate right slant with a level-to-slightly-rising baseline (R1, R2, R6, R8). R5 and R7 are slightly more upright. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction – 'M' group | A sharp zigzag 'M' with tall pointed peaks, followed by a looped 'l'-like stroke and a small 'e'/hook. | The same zigzag 'M' with pointed apices and a following loop appears in R1, R2, R3, R6, R7 and R8. It is less legible in R4 and R5 because of busy backgrounds. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'P' and terminal | A 'P' made of a tall downstroke with an upper bowl, a small connecting hook, then an upright 't'-like stroke crossed by a long horizontal bar extending right. | The same 'P' bowl, hook and crossed-'t' terminal with an extended bar appears consistently in R1–R8. Bowl size varies slightly (larger in R1 and R6). | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Strokes within each group are connected. There is a clear lift between the 'M' group and the 'P' group. | The same pen lift between groups and connected strokes within groups appear in all references. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The entry stroke on the 'M' appears to taper rather than start bluntly. The terminal crossbar ends in a tapered flick to the right. | Tapered entry and a flicked, extended terminal bar appear in R1, R2, R6 and R8. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Lines look fluid and confident. No visible tremor, patching or hesitation at this resolution. | All references show fast, fluid execution. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the downstrokes and lighter on the connectors and the tail of the crossbar, consistent with a felt-tip marker. | Similar marker pressure variation in R2, R6, R7 and R8. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the two letter groups. Tight spacing inside each group. | Gap width ranges from moderate to wide across references (wider in R1 and R8). Ours falls within that range. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The only flourish is the extended terminal crossbar. | No underline in any reference. The extended terminal bar is common to all. | Match |
| Placement, size and ink | Lower left of the art area, in a clear zone above the copyright line. Dark green/black marker on a yellow background. | Placement on the sticker art area is typical of the line. Ink colour varies (blue in R1, R3, R6, R8; black in R2, R4, R5; green in R7). R7 shows green ink, matching ours. | Match |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the crop. Ink density shows some natural variation. However, image resolution is too limited to rule out a printed facsimile or to judge whether the ink sits on top of or under the gloss. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open-edition sticker from Pingitore's own Magic Marker Art line. The Nintendopes sticker references (R2–R8) are the same open-edition artist-auto format and very likely the same 2023–2024 period. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9, 01/10) is a sibling product from the same publisher and probably close in time. No meaningful era gap is expected, so differences should be judged as signing-session, surface, and pen 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.
