Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #31b
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 | Two-part abbreviated signature. An angular zigzag 'M' with a small trailing loop, then a tall 'P' with a large rounded bowl. The letters taper into a short run and a long horizontal terminal. The first unit is roughly as tall as the P. | R1, R2, R3, R6 and R8 show the same two-unit 'M~ P~' abbreviation, with a comparable height ratio and the same long horizontal finish. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate rightward slant on the M strokes; the P stem is near-upright to slightly right. The baseline rises slightly across the signature. On the card it is written vertically along the left margin, reading bottom-to-top. | R1, R3 and R8 show the same moderate right slant and slightly rising or level baseline. References were cropped horizontally, so card orientation is not comparable. | Match |
| Letter construction | The M is formed as a sharp up-down-up zigzag with a pointed apex, followed by a small looped 'l/e'-like form. The P is a downstroke with an open, wide clockwise bowl that flows into the following letters. | The same M zigzag plus small loop appears in R1, R3, R6 and R8. The same wide-bowl P appears in R1, R2, R3 and R8. In R4 and R7 the P is more compressed, which is consistent with faster signing. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The M connects into its trailing loop without a lift. There is a gap between the first-name unit and the P. The P bowl connects into the trailing letters and the terminal stroke. | R1, R3, R6 and R8 show the identical lift between the two units and the connected P-to-terminal construction. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The M begins with a short entry stroke from the lower left. The signature ends in a long, tapering horizontal terminal stroke with no blunt stop. | R1 and R8 show the same entry point and an extended tapering horizontal finish. R6 and R4 show a similar but shorter finish. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes. Width varies naturally at the turns and the ends taper. No visible tremor, hesitation or patching at this resolution. | All references show rapid, fluent marker execution of a similar character. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the M downstrokes and the P stem, lighter on the connecting loops and the terminal. | R1, R3 and R8 show a comparable heavier-downstroke, lighter-terminal pattern. Low-contrast references (R5, R7) cannot be assessed for this. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | A moderate gap between the M unit and the P. The trailing letters are compressed. | Similar spacing in R1, R3 and R8. R4 is more compressed overall. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No separate underline. The terminal horizontal stroke serves as the finishing flourish. | Same in all legible references. No separate underline is seen anywhere. | Match |
| Placement, size and ink | Blue marker, placed vertically in the left margin of the artwork. It is clear of the character and the title bar, and is sized proportionally to the sticker. | Blue marker in R1, R6 and R8, and dark/black marker in R2, R5 and R7, so ink colour varies across the run. Placement on the card cannot be assessed from the crops. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition card (No. 31b). References R2–R8 come from the same Nintendopes open-edition artist-auto run and are likely contemporaneous. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9) is a different Magic Marker Art product, probably from a nearby period. Era differences are minimal, so variation should come mainly from surface, background colour, 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.
