Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #5b
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 compact angular 'M' with a small trailing connected letter, a gap, then a larger 'P' followed by a compressed 'g/t' group ending in a long horizontal stroke. The second group is wider than the first. | R1–R8 all show the same two-part structure, with the same compact first group and a wider 'P…t' second group finishing in a horizontal extension. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate right slant. The baseline is roughly level, with a slight rise toward the terminal stroke (read along the signing direction, since the signature runs vertically up the right card edge). | Moderate right slant and level-to-rising baseline in R1, R2, R4, R6 and R8. R7 is more upright and cramped. | Match |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is a fast zigzag with a pointed apex and a short connected 'l/c'-like trailing form. The 'P' has a tall downstroke and a looped bowl. 'g/t' is reduced to a looped descender and a cross. | Same zigzag 'M' with trailing form (clearest in R1, R3, R4). Same tall 'P' with bowl (R1, R5, R8). Same reduced 'g/t' with crossing (R2, R6). | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' is connected to its trailing letter. A pen lift separates the first group from the 'P'. The bowl of the 'P' flows into the following letters. | Identical lift pattern between groups across R1–R8, with the connection from 'P' into the following letters. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The start of the 'M' looks quick and slightly tapered. The signature ends in a long, light, tapering horizontal stroke. | Long tapering horizontal terminal stroke is a consistent habit (R1, R2, R3, R4, R6). Starts are quick, without blunt ink deposits. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Lines appear fluid with tapered ends. No visible tremor, hesitation or patching at this resolution. | Fluid, rapid execution throughout R1–R8. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier ink in the downstrokes of the 'M' and 'P', lighter in the terminal stroke. Some density variation is visible. | Similar heavy-downstroke, light-terminal pattern in R1, R4 and R6. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the first group and the 'P'. The second group is compact before the extended finish. | Same inter-group spacing in all references, with minor variation by available space (R7 tighter). | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended horizontal terminal acts as the only flourish. | No underline in any reference. The horizontal terminal is the recurring flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the right edge of the card front, outside the main character art, in blue ink. | References appear signed horizontally, in mixed blue (R1, R3, R8) and black (R2, R4–R7) ink. Placement on those cards is not fully known from the crops. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is discernible at this resolution. Ink density varies along the strokes, which is typical of live marker. The scan cannot determine whether the ink sits on or under the surface. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition artist auto. All eight references are contemporary Mark Pingitore artist autos on Magic Marker Art parody issues: R1 is Horrorible Kids Series 9 and R2–R8 are Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition. They likely share our card's era, so career-era drift is not a meaningful factor. Remaining differences are attributable to surface (glossy sticker stock and color backgrounds), pen (blue vs. black marker) 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.
