Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #2a
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 reading roughly 'Mk Pgt'. A tall angular M/k cluster is followed by a gap, then a looped P and a low 'gt' ending in a long horizontal t-cross. About 2:1 width to height. | R3, R4, R5 and R6 show the same two-cluster 'Mk / Pgt' layout with similar proportions. R1 shows the same M/k opening. R8, rotated vertically on holo foil, reads the same way. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong right slant on the M uprights. The baseline rises gently toward the 'Pgt' portion. | Similar right-leaning uprights in R3, R4, R5 and R6, with a comparable rising or level baseline. | Match |
| Letter construction | The M is built from sharp zig-zag strokes, the first upstroke tall with an acute apex, and runs into a compact k/h form. The P has an open bowl formed in one movement. 'g' is reduced to a small hook. The 't' is a short upright with an extended cross. | R5 (2015 card) and R6 show nearly identical zig-zag M construction and the same open-bowl P. R3 and R4 show the same simplified g and the long t-cross. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | M connects into k without a lift. There is a lift before the P. P connects into the g/t forms. | The same lift pattern between first and last name appears in R3, R4, R5 and R6. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The starting stroke enters from the lower left with a slight taper. The ending is the long t-cross sweeping right with a tapered finish. No blunt starts or stops are visible at this resolution. | R3, R4 and R6 end in the same long rightward t-cross. R5 shows similar tapered entry strokes. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with a smooth curve on the P bowl. No visible tremor, patching or hesitation in the crop. | References are rapidly written. Ours shows comparable speed. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Blue fine-point marker. Width varies slightly, heavier on downstrokes, with some lighter tails. | Pressure variation is hard to compare because R3, R4 and R6 use paint pen. R5 (marker on card) shows similar modest variation. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Clear gap between the 'Mk' and 'Pgt' clusters; letters within clusters are tight. | Same spacing habit in R3, R4, R5 and R6. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The extended t-cross serves as the terminal flourish. | No underlines in references; the t-cross flourish is consistent. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically along the left side of the art window, over the printed artwork and partly into the margin. Size is proportionate to a standard card. | R7 and R8 show vertical placement on cards. Card references generally place the signature over artwork. This is consistent with his habit. | Match |
| Reproduction indicators | Ink appears to sit on top of the printed pink art, with density varying along strokes. No obvious halftone pattern in the crop, but the resolution is limited. | N/A | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2021 Nintendopes sticker, Pingitore's own parody line (© Mark Pingitore / Magic Marker Art, LLC), so an artist signature on it is plausible. The references appear to span roughly 2015–2022. R5 is a 2015 Topps GPK Series 1 card. R1, R2, R7 and R8 are his Horrible/Horrorible Kids cards, probably 2019–2022. R3, R4 and R6 are Funko Pops in paint pen, likely 2019–2021. The abbreviated 'Mk Pgt' form looks stable across this whole span, so we did not expect era-related change. Differences in the Funko examples come from the thick paint pen on glossy plastic, not from era.
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.
