Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #27a
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 forms the first element, followed by a tall-stemmed 'P' complex that runs into a terminal 't'-like crossbar. The first element is roughly equal in width to the second. | R1, R2, R3, R6, R7 and R8 all show the same two-element 'M~ P~t' abbreviation with similar width ratios. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate rightward slant on the upstrokes, with a roughly level baseline when viewed in the rotated crop. | R2, R3, R7 and R8 show the same rightward slant and level-to-slightly-rising baseline. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'M' | The 'M' is built as a sharp N/W-style zigzag of three to four strokes, ending in a small upward loop or 'l' before the gap. | Identical zigzag 'M' construction in R1, R2, R3, R5, R6, R7 and R8, including the small terminal loop. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'P' and terminal | A tall 'P' stem with a bowl, then a descending loop and a right-extending stroke with a crossbar suggestive of a 't'. | R1, R7 and R8 show the same tall P stem, the descending 'g'-like loop and a long terminal crossbar. R3 and R6 are more compressed versions. | Match |
| Connecting strokes and pen lifts | One lift between the 'M' element and the 'P' element. The 'P' complex appears largely continuous apart from the crossbar. | Same single main lift in all references, with the crossbar added separately in R1 and R8. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The entry stroke on the 'M' looks tapered. The terminal crossbar flicks out to the right without a visible blunt stop. | Tapered entries and flicked crossbar exits are seen in R1, R6 and R8. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. Some width variation is consistent with speed. | References are similarly rapid and fluid. | Match |
| Pen pressure / ink density | Dark navy ink with lighter blue segments, likely sheen or pressure variation on the glossy sticker stock. The density does not look uniform. | R2, R4 and R7 show dark ink with sheen variation on glossy sticker surfaces. R1, R5 and R8 use a brighter blue marker. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the 'M' element and the 'P' element. | Comparable spacing in R1, R2, R7 and R8. | Match |
| Flourishes / underline | No underline or paraph. | None of the references show an underline. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the left side of the art, over the character and near the name box. Rotated relative to the card. | Reference crops show placement over the artwork. Orientation of the reference cards is not determinable from the crops. Placement over the art is consistent with an artist signing loose stickers. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the ink. The ink appears to sit on top of the printed art with sheen variation. Resolution is limited. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our item is a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition sticker, the same release as R2, R3, R4, R6, R7 and R8. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9) and R5 (Slop Culture Kids) are Magic Marker Art issues from roughly the same period, 2020–2022. All references are contemporaneous with ours, so era drift is not a meaningful factor. Differences are best attributed to pen, surface 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.
