Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #18a
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: an angular zigzag 'M' with a small trailing connector, then a 'P' followed by a long, flattened, mostly illegible run ending in an extended horizontal stroke. Roughly 3:1 width-to-height. | R1–R8 all show the same two-part structure: a zigzag 'M' unit, a gap, then a 'P' and a compressed run trailing into a long horizontal finish. R1 and R6 are the closest in proportion. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate right slant. The baseline rises slightly left to right. The signature was applied rotated relative to the card's vertical layout. | Right slant and a slightly rising or level baseline are seen throughout (R1, R3, R4, R6). R7 and R8 run steeper, consistent with quick signing on stickers. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | 'M' is built from a left-side entry hook and sharp up-down peaks. 'P' has a tall stem and a closed upper bowl, then reduced letters and a crossing stroke. | Same 'M' peak construction in R1, R3, R4, R5 and R6. Same tall-stem 'P' with bowl in R1, R2, R3 and R4. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The 'M' unit ends in a small hooked connector. There is a pen break before 'P'. The surname run is continuous into the terminal stroke. | A break between the first-name and surname units is consistent in all references. The continuous surname run appears in R1, R2, R4 and R6. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts appear to taper. The final horizontal stroke extends right and appears to thin out rather than stop bluntly. | R1 shows the same long tapered horizontal finish. R2, R4 and R6 show shorter versions of the terminal stroke. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with smooth curves and no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. | All references show fast, fluid marker strokes. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Some variation in stroke width and ink density, heavier on downstrokes of the 'M' and 'P'. Not uniformly dense. | Similar downstroke emphasis in R1, R3 and R4. | Match |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the 'M' unit and 'P'. The surname is compressed. | Same spacing habit in R1–R8. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No separate underline. The extended terminal stroke serves as the flourish. | No underline in any reference. The terminal extension is present in R1, R4 and R6. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed in blue over the character art, angled across the figure. Medium size relative to the card. | References are signed over printed art on comparable sticker cards, in blue (R1, R3, R6) or black (R2, R4, R5, R7, R8). | Match |
| Reproduction indicators | No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the stroke. The ink appears to sit over the printed art, and stroke edges look organic. Image resolution through the slab limits this assessment. | N/A | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is from the 2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition artist-auto run. R2–R8 come from the same product line, so they are effectively the same era. R1 (Horrorible Kids Series 9, numbered 01/10) is a related Magic Marker Art release, probably from a nearby period. No meaningful era drift is expected across this group. Differences are best explained by surface (glossy sticker stock over printed art), pen (blue vs. black marker) and signing 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.
