Autograph Authentication Report
2025 Topps Worst of Garbage Pail Kids - 40th Anniv. - Tom Bunk Auto - Drool Blue (04/99) · #97a
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-word 'Tom Bunk'. Tall T, small compressed 'om', tall B, then 'unk' reduced to compact humps ending in a long flat trailing stroke. | R1, R3, R6 and R8 show the same layout: dominant T and B capitals, small lowercase, and a long trailing terminal. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Slight rightward slant with a roughly level baseline. The terminal stroke runs nearly horizontal, slightly rising to the right. | R3 and R8 show a near-level baseline with a long horizontal finish. R1 is slightly more rightward on a smaller surface. | Match |
| Letter construction – T | Long crossbar drawn first; the stem drops with a slight hook or curl into the 'o'. | R3, R4, R6 and R8 show the same long crossbar and stem, with the stem often connecting toward the 'o'. | Match |
| Letter construction – B and 'unk' | B with a vertical stem and two bowls in an open, angular form. 'unk' runs together as connected humps; the k flattens into the extended tail. | R3 and R8 have closely comparable B and 'unk' forms with the flattened k tail. R4 and R6 are more legible but share the same structure. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'om' and 'unk' are each connected in cursive runs. The words are separated by a pen lift. | The same connections and word break appear in R1, R3, R6 and R8. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the T crossbar. The long tapered terminal after the k extends beyond the yellow box edge. | R3, R6 and R8 show the same long tapered horizontal finish. R1 shows a similar exit. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. Slight ink-density variation is visible along the strokes. | The references are similarly fast and fluid. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Medium-tip green marker. Some heavier deposit at turns and lighter tapering on exits. | Marker or paint pen in black, blue, purple and white across the references. Pressure behavior is similar where it can be judged. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Moderate gap between 'Tom' and 'Bunk'. Lowercase letters are tight. | R3 and R8 have comparable spacing. R4 and R6 stack the name vertically on larger surfaces, a layout difference driven by space. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No separate underline; the extended k terminal serves as the flourish. | Same in R3, R6 and R8. | Match |
| Placement and size | Fills the designated yellow autograph box and overruns it at the top and right. It crosses over the printed 'TOM BUNK ARTIST AUTOGRAPH' text. | R5 (a Topps certified card) shows similar on-card placement in a designated area. Other references are on non-card items. | Match |
| Surface and medium effects | Green marker on the coated card stock of a modern Topps card. | R2 is white paint pen on a Funko box window, giving a more open, rounded and stretched form. R5 is a tiny image on a Topps card. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2025 Topps Worst of Garbage Pail Kids 40th Anniversary artist-auto card, so it is current-era. The references are also current or recent: R5 is a 2021 Topps product, and R1, R2, R3, R4, R6 and R8 appear to be modern convention or private signings, though R1's 1986 card was likely signed decades after issue. Bunk's modern signature is stable: a tall T with a long crossbar, a compact 'om', a looped or angular B, and 'unk' collapsing into a long horizontal terminal stroke. No meaningful era gap needs explaining.
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.
