Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #26a
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. An angular zigzag 'M' initial, a short compressed middle cluster, then a large looped 'P' running into a long trailing horizontal stroke. Overall width about 3–4x height. | R1–R8 all show the same three-part structure: a zigzag M, small middle forms, and a looped P running into a long horizontal finish. Proportions are very similar. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong right slant on the M strokes. Baseline roughly level to slightly rising toward the terminal stroke. On the card it is written vertically along the left edge, so the crop is rotated. | R1, R4, R6 and R8 show the same right slant and level-to-rising baseline. R3 and R5 are slightly more upright, which is normal variation. | Match |
| Letter construction | M made as a fast zigzag with sharp apices. P formed with an upstroke and a large open bowl, followed by angular 'ngt' reduced to peaks. | Same construction throughout. The R1 and R7 bowls are rounder and the R5 and R6 bowls more compressed, all within expected range. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | M is separated from the middle cluster by a pen lift. The P connects continuously into the trailing letters and the final stroke. | R1, R2, R4 and R8 show the same lift after the M cluster and continuous movement through P to the finish. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the first M stroke. Long tapered horizontal terminal with a crossing 't'-type stroke. | Every reference ends in the extended horizontal terminal. Tapering is clearest in R1, R7 and R8. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, rapid strokes with no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. Terminals appear tapered rather than blunt. | Fast, confident marker line in all references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the downstrokes of the M and on the P bowl, lighter on the terminal. Ink tone shifts from black to blue across the crop, suggesting non-uniform deposition. | Similar heavy-light variation in R2, R4 and R8. Ink colour varies between blue and black across references. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Compact middle cluster with a wider gap before the P. | Consistent with R1, R3, R4 and R6. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended horizontal terminal is the only flourish. | Same in all references. | Match |
| Placement and size | Written vertically along the left edge, overlapping the character artwork. Placement is not repeated identically across cards. | Placement and orientation differ card to card across R2–R6 and R8, consistent with individual hand-signing rather than a fixed facsimile position. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is discernible. Ink appears to sit on the surface over the printed art, but image resolution limits this assessment. | N/A | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition Artist Auto card (No. 26a), so it is contemporary with R2–R6 and R8, which are the same product line. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9) and R7 (11x17 print, JSA per listing title) appear to be from the same general period, roughly early 2020s. The references show no meaningful era drift, and Pingitore's abbreviated signature looks stable across them.
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.
