Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #6b
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 'Mk' followed by a separated 'P' and a compressed run ending in a 't'. The 'M' and 'P' are roughly equal in height and the trailing letters are lower. | R1, R2, R4, R5, R6 and R8 all show the same abbreviated 'Mk/Mh P…t' structure with similar first-initial to surname proportions. R5 (black marker on a card) is the closest analogue. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong right slant on the 'M' peaks and the 'P' stem. The baseline rises slightly left to right. | Strong right-leaning slant and a slightly rising baseline in R1, R2, R4, R5 and R6. | Match |
| Letter construction | Angular zigzag 'M' with sharp peaks. 'k' formed with a small loop. 'P' is a tall single downstroke with a bowl added. The surname terminates in a 't' with a long crossbar. | Same angular 'M', looped 'k/h', tall 'P' stem with bowl and crossed 't' in R1, R2, R4, R5 and R6. R8 at low resolution shows the same 'Mk P…t' skeleton. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' runs continuously into 'k'. There is a pen lift before the 'P'. The surname letters after the 'P' are run together. | References show the same connected 'Mk', a lift before the 'P', and a connected surname run. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Short hooked lead-in at the base of the 'M'. The terminal 't' crossbar flicks rightward with a tapered end. | R2 and R4 show a similar hooked 'M' lead-in, and R1, R2 and R6 show a long rightward 't' crossbar ending. R5 matches closely. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes look fluid with tapered ends and no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. Ink density varies along the strokes. | Fast, confident strokes throughout the references, including the paint-pen examples. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the downstrokes of the 'M' and 'P', lighter on connectors and the terminal flick. | Similar heavy-downstroke pattern in R5 and the Funko examples. Paint pen flattens pressure cues in R1, R2, R4 and R6. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between 'Mk' and 'P'. The surname is compressed. | Comparable gap in R1, R2, R4, R5 and R6. R6 is slightly wider, consistent with a larger box surface. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline or paraph beyond the extended 't' crossbar. | None of the references show an underline. The extended crossbar is common to them. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the left edge of the card art, in a dark blue/black marker. | R3 and R7 (Horrorible Kids cards) are also signed vertically along the left side in blue and black marker, matching our placement habit. The Funko references are larger and horizontal because of the box surface. | Match |
| Ink and medium | Dark blue/black felt-tip marker on a sticker card surface. | Black marker in R5 and R7, blue in R3, yellow paint pen in R1, R2, R4 and R6. Medium varies with surface. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2021 Nintendopes open-edition artist sticker, so the signature was likely signed in 2021 or later. The references span roughly 2014–2015 (R8 manufacturer artist-autograph card, R5 2015 GPK Series 1) through the early 2020s (Funko Pop items R1/R2/R4/R6, Horrorible Kids cards R3/R7). Across that range Pingitore's signature stays a fast abbreviated 'Mk P–t' form, with no meaningful era drift to account for. Paint-pen versus marker differences on the Funko boxes are surface and pen effects, not era effects.
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.
