Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #4a
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 signature: angular zig-zag 'M' (rendered like 'Nl'), a gap, then a tall looped 'P' trailing into a compressed, mostly illegible remainder and a long horizontal finish. | R1, R2, R5 and R7 show the same two-part structure: a zig-zag 'M' group, a gap, then a looped 'P' followed by compressed letters and a 't'-like crossing or terminal stroke. R3, R4 and R6 are more cramped but share the same architecture. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Right-leaning, fairly level baseline relative to the writing direction. The signature is written vertically along the card's right edge, so the crop is rotated. | References are right-leaning with a level-to-slightly-rising baseline. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' is made of sharp peaks with a short upstroke resembling 'l'. 'P' has a tall stem and an open upper loop that continues rightward. | The same peaked 'M' with an 'l'-like terminal appears in R1, R2, R3, R5 and R7. The looped 'P' with rightward continuation appears in R1, R2, R5 and R7. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' group is connected internally. There is a pen lift before 'P'. 'P' connects into the trailing letters. | References show the same lift between the 'M' group and 'P', and the same connection after 'P'. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the 'M'. Long tapered horizontal exit stroke at the end. | R1 and R5 end with a crossing or extended horizontal. R2 and R7 have shorter terminals. Terminal length varies across references. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with tapered ends. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt starts/stops at this resolution. | References are similarly fast and fluid. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Broad marker line with slight width variation on downstrokes. | Similar marker-width variation. R8 appears smeared or partially wiped on a slick blue surface. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the first-name group and 'P'. The surname is compressed. | Same spacing pattern throughout the references. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. Terminal extended horizontally. | No underlines. Terminal crossings present in some references. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically in the open right-side margin of the artwork, in blue marker over the printed image. Size is proportionate to the card. | References are signed across the artwork surface. Placement varies by card layout. Ink colours are blue and black. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | Ink appears to sit over the printed artwork, with a slight sheen and edge variation. No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the signature at this resolution. The slab plastic limits close inspection. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is the 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition (No. 4a), an artist-auto release. The references are Magic Marker Art / Nintendopes / Horrorible Kids / Slop Culture Kids artist autos from the same general 2023–2024 period of Pingitore's self-published sticker releases, so no meaningful era gap is expected. The signature is a fast, abbreviated marker signature that varies mostly with surface and 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.
