Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #31a
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 form (reads 'Ml'), a gap, then a tall 'P' with a loop and a compressed 'gt' ending in a long horizontal stroke. | R1–R8 all show the same two-part abbreviated structure: zigzag initial group, gap, then a 'P' with an angular/looped tail and a horizontal terminal. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Signed vertically along the left edge, reading bottom to top. In the corrected crop it shows a slight right slant and a fairly level baseline with the 'P' descending below it. | R1, R2, R6 and R7 show a mild right slant and level baseline. R3, R4 and R8 are more compressed but keep the same orientation pattern. | Match |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is built from sharp peaks with no rounded humps. The 'P' has a tall downstroke with the bowl/loop formed at the top. The 'gt' ending is reduced to a looped form plus a crossing stroke. | Same sharp-peaked 'M' in R1, R4, R5 and R6. The 'P' stem with top bowl is clear in R1, R2 and R6. The reduced 'gt' with crossbar shows in R1, R3 and R4. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The initial group is connected. There is a lift before the 'P', and the 'P' flows into the ending. | Same lift between the first-name group and the surname group in all references. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with an upstroke into the first 'M' peak. Ends with an extended horizontal terminal that appears tapered. | R1 and R6 show the same upstroke start and the long horizontal tapered finish. R3, R4 and R7 have shorter terminals. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes appear fluid and confident, with no visible tremor or blunting at this resolution. | All references show fast, fluid strokes. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Fairly even blue marker line with some lighter areas at stroke ends. Resolution limits detail. | Felt/marker tip in varied colors (blue, black, dark green) with similar even width. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | A moderate gap between the first-name group and the 'P'. The ending is compact. | Similar gap. R1 and R6 are somewhat wider, R3 and R8 tighter. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The horizontal terminal stroke serves as the flourish. | No underlines in any reference. The horizontal terminal is present throughout. | Match |
| Placement and size | Large, running vertically down the left side over the artwork and ring ropes. | References are cropped, so placement is mostly unknown. They appear signed over artwork on the sticker face, which fits informal artist-auto placement. | Not assessable |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone/dot pattern is visible. The ink looks to sit on the surface. Resolution is insufficient to confirm. | N/A | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition artist auto (No. 31a). R2–R8 come from the same Nintendopes release and are likely the same signing period. R1 is a Magic Marker Art Horrorible Kids Series 9 manufacturer autograph card from roughly the same early-2020s period. Because all references sit within one short era, no meaningful era drift is expected and none is seen.
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.
