Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #22b
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. A compact zig-zag 'M' with a trailing short stroke, a gap, then a large-looped 'P' running into a compressed 'gto' finished by a long horizontal crossbar. The first initial is shorter than the tall 'P' loop. | R1–R8 all show the same two-block structure: a zig-zag/'Nl'-like 'M' block, a gap, then a 'P' loop into a compressed tail with a horizontal crossing stroke. R1 and R2 are especially close in proportion. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | The signature is written vertically along the left margin. Normalised to horizontal, it has a moderate rightward slant and a slightly rising baseline across the 'P' block. | References are written horizontally with a similar right slant. R3 and R4 rise slightly, and R1 is near level. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is made as sharp up-down peaks with an angular hook. The 'P' is a tall stem with a large closed bowl that descends into a looped 'g' form. 'to' is reduced to a small hump plus crossbar. | The same angular-peak 'M' appears in R1, R2, R5 and R7. The tall-stem 'P' with large bowl and descending loop appears in R1, R2 and R5. R4 and R6 are more cramped but use the same construction. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The 'M' block is written continuously. There is a lift between the first and last name. The 'P' block flows continuously into the crossbar. | References show the same lift between the two blocks and continuous writing within each block. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The entry stroke on the 'M' appears tapered. The final crossbar ends in a tapered, flicked tail to the right. | R1, R7 and R8 show the same long tapered terminal crossbar. Entry strokes are tapered or light throughout. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with smooth curves at the 'P' bowl. No visible tremor, hesitation or patching at this resolution. | R1–R8 are rapid and fluid, consistent with a fast signing session. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Blue felt-tip ink shows some density variation: heavier on the downstrokes, lighter on the terminal flick. | R1 and R8 (broad blue marker) and R2–R7 show similar heavier downstrokes and lighter terminals. R8's skipping reflects the marker on its surface. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | A clear gap between the 'M' block and the 'P' block. The letters within the 'P' block are compressed. | Same inter-block gap and compressed second block across references. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The long horizontal terminal crossbar serves as the flourish. | Same long terminal crossbar in R1, R7 and R8, shorter in R3 and R4. No underlines. | Match |
| Placement and size | Placed vertically in the left margin, overlapping the yellow background beside the character. Medium size. | The reference crops show signatures over the artwork or background, horizontally oriented. No full-card reference shows a fixed position. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the crop. Ink appears to sit on top of the printed yellow, with natural density changes. Resolution is limited. | N/A | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our item is a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition card (22b). Six of the eight references (R2–R7) come from the same Nintendopes open-edition artist-auto run. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9) and R8 (Slop Culture Kids) are other Magic Marker Art releases, likely from about the same period (roughly 2020–2023). All references therefore share our era, and Pingitore's abbreviated signature looks stable across them. Remaining differences track pen and marker type (fine blue, black or dark felt-tip, broad blue marker) and the coated sticker surfaces, not career drift.
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.
