Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #18b
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' plus a short upstroke, a gap, then a tall looped 'P' leading into a low, extended trailing form. The P stem is markedly taller than the M group. | All references (R1–R8) show the same two-block layout: a low, compact zig-zag 'Ml' group, a tall 'P' loop, and an abbreviated 'gto'/trailing form with an extended horizontal stroke. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Forward (rightward) slant on the M peaks and P stem. The baseline is roughly level in the corrected crop, with the M group sitting slightly lower than the P loop. | R1, R3, R5 and R7 show the same forward slant and level-to-slightly-rising baseline. R6 and R8 are a little more compressed and angular. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'M' | Built as connected sharp zig-zag peaks with a following short 'l'-like upstroke. The left-most peak starts with a quick entry stroke. | An identical zig-zag 'M' plus upstroke appears in R1, R2, R3, R5 and R7. R6 and R8 compress it into tighter peaks. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'P' and trailing letters | Tall P stem with a large rightward bowl. It is followed by a reduced, loop-like trailing form and a long horizontal finishing stroke. The 'gto' is less articulated than in R1. | R1 has the most articulated 'gto' with a t-cross. R2, R4, R6 and R8 reduce the trailing letters to a loop plus a horizontal crossing stroke. Ours sits within this range. | Natural variation |
| Connecting strokes | The M group is continuous. There is a lift between the M group and the P, and the P bowl flows into the trailing form. | Every reference shows the same lift between the M group and the P, with continuity within each block. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the M. The finish is a long, tapered horizontal tail with no visible blunt stop. | R1, R5 and R7 show tapered entries and a long tapered horizontal finish. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with smooth curves on the P bowl and tail. No visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. | Fluid, fast execution throughout R1–R8. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Some width and density variation is visible, heavier on downstrokes and the P stem and lighter on the tail. This is consistent with a felt-tip or marker. | Similar marker/felt-tip pressure modulation, best seen in R1 (also blue) and R2/R4 (black). | Match |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the M group and the P, with the trailing form close to the P. | Comparable gaps appear in R1, R3, R5 and R7. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended horizontal finishing stroke is the only flourish. | No underlines in any reference. The extended terminal horizontal is common across them. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the long axis over the character artwork, on the left-center of the card. Fairly large. | The reference crops are shown horizontally, so their on-card orientation cannot be confirmed. Signing across the artwork is common for this artist's sticker autos. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is from the 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition artist-auto set. Seven of the eight references (R2–R8) come from that same set and are likely contemporaneous. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9, Magic Marker Art) is probably from a nearby period. No era-driven differences are expected, and none are observed beyond normal day-to-day and surface variation.
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.
