Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #24a
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: zigzag 'M' with a trailing 'l/e' form, a gap, then a 'P' with a descending loop and an extended 't'-type crossbar finish. Roughly 3:1 width to height. | R1, R2, R5, R7 and R8 show the same two-cluster structure: zigzag M-group, gap, P-group, long horizontal terminal crossbar. Proportions are similar. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Mild right slant. Baseline rises slightly left to right. The signature is written vertically along the card's left edge, so the crop is rotated. | References show a mild right slant and a roughly level to slightly rising baseline (R1, R5, R8 especially). | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' made of sharp angular peaks in one continuous stroke, ending in a small hooked 'l' form. 'P' formed with a tall stem and closed bowl, with a lower loop or tail beneath. | Same angular multi-peak 'M' with trailing hook in R1, R3, R5, R6 and R8. 'P' with tall stem and bowl in R1, R2, R5 and R7. The lower tail loop appears in R1 and R5. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The M-group is connected internally. A pen lift separates it from the P-group. The P flows into the terminal stroke. | Same lift between the clusters in all references. The P connects into the 't'/crossbar in R1, R2, R5 and R8. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick upstroke into the first M peak. Ends with a long, tapered horizontal crossbar extending right. | The long tapered terminal crossbar is a consistent hallmark (R1, R2, R4, R5, R6, R8). The quick upstroke entry appears in R1 and R8. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with tapered ends. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt stops at this resolution. | Rapid, fluid execution across the references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on downstrokes and the M peaks. Lighter, tapered on the terminal crossbar and the P tail. | Similar pressure modulation in R1, R5 and R8, which use comparable blue felt-tip ink. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the M-group and the P-group. Compact within each group. | Same inter-cluster gap throughout. R6 is somewhat more compressed, which is natural variation. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended terminal crossbar serves as the flourish. | No underlines in any reference. The terminal crossbar flourish is consistent. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the left side of the art over the blue-to-red gradient background, beside the character. Medium-large relative to the card. | Reference crops show the signature over the art and background areas, but their crops do not reveal orientation or position on the card. Size is comparable. | Natural variation |
| Ink and medium | Blue felt-tip or paint-marker type ink with a slight sheen. | Blue ink in R1, R3, R5 and R8. Black in R2, R4, R6 and R7. Pen choice varies, which is consistent with a signing session using multiple markers. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our signature is on a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition card (No. 24a, Groomed Guile). R2–R8 are from the same 2021 Nintendopes Open Edition artist-auto run, so they are contemporaneous. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9, Magic Marker Art) is from a closely adjacent period. No era-driven drift is expected or observed. Mark Pingitore signs these as a rapid abbreviated scrawl, which naturally varies from piece to piece.
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.
