Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Mutagen Canister Kids Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #1a
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' with a short trailing upstroke, a gap, then a 'P' group with a crossing bar and terminal loop. Roughly 2:1 width weighting toward the second group. | R1-R8 all show the same abbreviated 'M' zigzag plus 'Pgt'-style second group with a crossbar. Proportions are similar across all eight. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Signed vertically along the right margin. Corrected for rotation, the baseline is near level with a slight rise toward the end and a right-leaning slant. | Mostly level to slightly rising baselines with moderate right slant (R1, R4, R8). R5 and R6 rise more steeply. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' is built as a sharp zigzag of connected peaks without separate humps. The 'P' has a tall downstroke and a looped bowl, followed by a 't'-like stroke and crossbar. | Same sharp zigzag 'M' (R2, R4, R6 are especially close). The 'P' is a tall stem with a bowl, and the second group has a long horizontal crossbar (R1, R3, R8). | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The 'M' runs into a short trailing stroke. There is a lift before the 'P'. The 'P' group is connected through to the ending. | The same lift between the first-name and surname groups appears in all references, with internal connection within each group. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick lead-in into the 'M'. Ends in a looping or circular flourish after the crossbar, with tapered exits. | Tapered entries in R1, R4 and R8. Endings are usually a long horizontal crossbar exit (R1, R3, R8). R7 shows a looped or scrubbed terminal similar to ours. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Appears fluent, with tapering and varying density consistent with a fast marker stroke. No visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. | Fast, confident marker strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier in the downstrokes, with some skipping or uneven ink take-up on the glossy sticker surface. The ink looks dark with a slight metallic or blue sheen in the full photo. | Similar skipping on gloss in R7 and R8. Pressure is heavier on downstrokes in R2 and R4. | Match |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the 'M' group and the 'P' group. The second group is compact. | Comparable gap and compact second group (R2, R3, R4, R6). | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The terminal loop or curl is the main flourish. | No underlines. The terminal crossbar is the main flourish, and R7 has a looped ending. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Written vertically along the right edge over the orange background and partly over the artwork. Sized to the margin. | Reference crops are horizontal. Placement on the source cards is not fully visible except R1, which is across the art. | Natural variation |
| Ink color | Dark blue or black, possibly metallic. | Blue (R1, R3, R7, R8) and black (R2, R4, R5, R6). | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our item is a 2024 Mutagen Canister Kids sticker (Open Edition artist auto). All eight references are recent Magic Marker Art / Nintendopes / Slop Culture Kids sticker and card autographs, effectively the same 2023-2024 era, product type and marker-on-sticker surface. Era-driven variation should be minimal, so differences mostly reflect pen, surface gloss, orientation 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.
