Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #6a
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 P–t' form. A compact, angular monogram-like first-name block is followed by a taller 'P' and a trailing 't' with a long crossbar. The first-name block is roughly equal in width to the surname block. | R1–R6 all show the same abbreviated 'Mk Pt' structure with the same relative block widths. R7 and R8 show the same compressed form signed vertically. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong right slant on the upstrokes. The baseline rises slightly left to right (relative to the card's long edge, since the signature runs vertically). | R1–R5 show a strong right slant and a slightly rising baseline. R6 is the same at a smaller scale. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'M' | Sharp zigzag 'M': a tall first upstroke, an angular down-up peak, then a descending diagonal into a looped 'k/h' form. | R1, R3, R4 and R6 show the same angular zigzag 'M' leading into a looped 'k'. R2 and R5 are the same construction made rounder by the paint pen. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'P' and 't' | Tall 'P' stem with an open bowl, followed by a short connected scrawl and a 't' with a long horizontal crossbar extending right. | R1, R2, R3 and R5 show the large-bowl 'P' and the long rightward 't' crossbar. R4 is the same in a darker pen. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' connects into the 'k' loop. There is a pen lift before the 'P'. 'P' connects through to the 't'. | The same lift between the first-name block and 'P' appears in R1–R6. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick upstroke with a slight entry tail. Ends with a tapered 't' crossbar. No blunt stops are visible at this resolution. | R1–R5 show a similar entry upstroke and a tapered crossbar finish. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Appears fluid and fast. Strokes are confident, with no visible tremor or patching at scan resolution. | All references are fast, confident strokes. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Darker, heavier ink on the downstrokes of the 'M' and 'P', and lighter on the connectors. Some density variation is visible. | The fine-tip references (R4, R6) show similar heavier downstrokes. The paint-pen references cannot show pressure variation. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between the first-name block and the 'P'. The surname is compressed. | Comparable spacing in R1–R6. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline or paraph. The 't' crossbar is the only flourish. | None of the references show an underline. The 't' crossbar is the terminal flourish throughout. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the left edge of the artwork, about 1.5 to 2 inches long, in dark blue/black fine-tip ink over the printed image. | R7 and R8 (cards) are also signed vertically along a side edge. R4 and R6 (cards) are horizontal. Placement varies but vertical edge placement is attested. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators (halftone, ink under gloss) | No halftone or dot pattern is visible in the signature at this resolution. The ink appears to sit over the printed design. Sheen and ink layering cannot be confirmed from a slab scan. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2021 Nintendopes open-edition sticker, so it was likely signed in 2021 or later. R4 and R6 are 2015 GPK-era card signatures. R7 and R8 are Horrible Kids card signatures, probably late 2010s to early 2020s. R1, R2, R3 and R5 are paint-pen signatures on Funko Pop boxes, probably around 2020 to 2023. The signature's structure is stable from 2015 onward, and no era-driven change explains or conflicts with ours. Differences in stroke width and roundness among the Funko references reflect the paint pen on a smooth, curved window, not a change over time.
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.
