Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #5a
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 | Compact, fast two-part signature: an angular zigzag 'M' fused into a short upright, then a looped 'P' with trailing 'g/t' forms. Wide and low. | R1, R2, R4, R6 and R8 show the same two-cluster structure: zigzag initial group, gap, then a P-group ending in a horizontal stroke. Height-to-width ratio is similar. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Slight forward lean on the uprights. Baseline is near level relative to the signing direction, though the signature runs vertically up the card's right edge. | Similar mild slant and gently rising or level baseline across R1, R2, R4 and R6. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' is made as sharp down-up-down peaks fused into a 'l'-like upright. 'P' has a tall stem with a loop at top, followed by a compressed 'g' and a 't'-like terminal. | Same abbreviated 'M' zigzag in R1, R4, R6 and R8. Same looped P stem in R1, R2 and R6. Later letters are reduced to a few strokes in all. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Initial group written continuously. A pen lift separates it from the P group. | Same lift between the two groups in every reference. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick hooked entry into the M. Ends with a tapered horizontal exit, somewhat shorter than in some references. | R1, R6, R7 and R8 show a longer horizontal finishing stroke. R2 and R4 have shorter terminals. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with tapered ends. No tremor or hesitation visible at this resolution. | Fast marker strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on downstrokes, lighter on connectors. Some ink-density variation is visible. | Similar pressure variation, within the range noted in R1, R2, R4 and R6. | Match |
| Spacing | Tight within each group, with a clear gap between groups. | Consistent with R1, R6 and R8. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. Terminal stroke serves as the only flourish. | No underlines. Terminal horizontal flourish varies in length. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the right side of the image, over the artwork, in dark blue/purple marker. | References are signed across the image in blue or black marker. Orientation differs, but placement on the art is typical of artist-signed stickers. | Natural variation |
Measurements
Software traced the ink and measured it against the known examples. The shaded band is the signer's normal range across those examples; the gold marker is this card.
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Normal range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slant of upright strokes | -4.9° | -11.7–-1.4° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | -2.4° | -5.1–2.3° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.199 | 0.158–0.268 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 3.07× | 2.27–6.1× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.463 | 0.434–0.653 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 10 | 19.0–116.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 19 | 12.0–17.0 | In range |
The measurements compare the shape of this signature to four clean reference signatures from Mark Pingitore. The slant of the upright strokes, the overall writing angle and the height-to-width proportions all fall well inside the range his own signatures show. The other measurements are more sensitive to photo quality: ink travel, stroke thickness variation, loop count and number of separate strokes. They also fall within his normal range. Overall, the numbers support the visual finding that this signature matches his usual way of signing, though measurements alone cannot confirm the ink is live.
Examiner notes
Our sticker is from the 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids open edition. The references are mostly Nintendopes open-edition stickers, plus one Horrorible Kids Series 9 card and one Slop Culture Kids sticker, all from the same artist-run Magic Marker Art product line and likely the same 2023-2024 period. No meaningful era gap is expected. Variation between references mainly reflects surface (glossy sticker stock in different colors), marker type 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.
