Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #6b
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 zigzag 'M' group, then a compressed 'P' and trailing letters ending in a crossed 't'-like terminal. Rotated about 90°, running up the right side of the art. | R1–R8 show the same abbreviated 'M' zigzag plus 'P…gt' structure, with the second element longer than the first. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Once the vertical orientation is accounted for, the strokes have a forward right slant along a fairly straight baseline. A long lead-in stroke runs along the baseline. | Consistent right-leaning slant on a level baseline (R1, R4, R6, R8). | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' is a rapid sharp-peaked zigzag. 'P' is a looped upright with a bowl. The ending is a looped 'g'-like form and a crossbar. | Same sharp zigzag 'M' and looped 'P' bowl (R1, R2, R6). The crossed terminal appears in R1, R3, R4, R7 and R8. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The 'M' runs continuously. There is a lift between the 'M' and 'P' groups, and the 'P' group is connected. | The references also show a lift between the first-initial group and the surname group. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry. The ending crossbar stroke looks flicked rather than blunt. | Tapered entries and a flicked crossbar finish in R1, R4, R6. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluent and fast, with no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. | Fast, fluent marker strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Mild width variation, heavier on the downstrokes. Ink density looks somewhat uneven, which is natural. | Similar light-to-moderate variation (R2, R5, R7 show heavier marker). | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Compressed 'M' group with a short gap before the surname group. | Same compact spacing pattern. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The long lead-in stroke may read as a slight flourish. | No underlines. R1 shows a long sweeping initial stroke. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Signed over the artwork in blue ink, vertical along the right side, partially crossing the printed puck and bat. | Signed directly over the art in blue or black, typically horizontal. The crops do not show the full-card placement. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids sticker (open edition, artist auto), contemporary with the Nintendopes sticker references (R2–R8) and the Horrorible Kids Series 9 card (R1). All are recent, from the same artist-signed product line, so no meaningful era drift is expected. Differences are best explained by surface (glossy sticker stock), pen (fine-to-medium blue or black marker), and orientation. Ours was signed vertically along the right side of the artwork.
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.
