Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #21b
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: a compressed zigzag 'M' with a short trailing stroke, a gap, then a tall 'P' with a deep descending loop, and a low 'gt' ending finished by a long horizontal crossbar. | The same two-part abbreviated form appears in R1, R2, R3, R4 and R6. R5 and R8 are partially obscured by artwork or background but show the same skeleton. R7 is a lighter, more open version of the same form. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong rightward slant on the 'M' strokes. The baseline is roughly level, with the 'P' descender dropping well below it. On the card the signature runs vertically along the left edge, so the crop is rotated. | Rightward slant and level baseline with a deep 'P' descender in R1, R3, R4 and R6. | Match |
| Letter construction | 'M' is made as connected angular peaks ending in a small 'l'-like upstroke. 'P' is a tall upstroke with a bowl made on the return, then a long looping descender. It ends in a short 'g'/'t' formation. | R1 and R4 show nearly identical 'M' peaks and 'P' construction. R3 and R6 match the 'P' bowl and descender. R2 is more compressed but has the same structure. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The 'M' group is continuous. There is a lift before the 'P'. The 'P' connects into the ending. | The same lift between the first-name and surname groups appears consistently across R1 to R6 and R8. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a tapered entry upstroke into the 'M'. Ends with a long, rightward, slightly tapered horizontal crossbar. | A long terminal crossbar is present in R1, R3, R4 and R6. Tapered entry strokes appear in R1 and R4. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluent, confident strokes with natural width variation from the marker tip. No visible tremor, patching or blunt stops at this resolution. | Fast, fluent marker strokes throughout the Crown references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the 'M' downstrokes and the 'P' stem. Lighter on the descender loop and crossbar tail. | Similar pressure emphasis in R1 and R4, where ink and pen type are most comparable. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the 'M' group and the 'P'. The ending is tight to the 'P'. | Comparable spacing in R1, R3, R4 and R6. R2 is tighter due to the smaller signing area. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The only flourish is the extended terminal crossbar. | No underlines in any reference. The terminal crossbar is the consistent flourish. | Match |
| Placement, size and ink | Dark green or teal marker, placed vertically in the open yellow field at the left of the art. Sized appropriately to the space. | R4 is also in green marker. Others use blue or black. Placement in open art areas varies card to card in the Nintendopes references, as expected for hand signing. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | Ink tone varies along the strokes and appears to sit over the printed art. No halftone pattern is visible at scan resolution. | Not applicable | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition Artist Auto (No. 21b), the same issue and era as R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R8. R1 is a Horrorible Kids Series 9 card, likely within a year or two of ours. R7 is a large-format print signed with a fine pen, probably in a similar contemporary period. No era-driven change is expected. Differences across references mostly reflect marker tip, surface and 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.
