Autograph Authentication Report
2023 Topps G.P.K.: InterGOOlactic Mayhem - David Gross Artist Auto - Fool's Gold (16/50) · #37
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 signature: a large looped 'D', a tall 'd/l' ascender, a compact 'h'-like group, then a long horizontal tail running right. The signature is wider than it is tall. | R1, R3 and R8 show the same abbreviated structure with the same width-to-height balance. R2 has the same structure in blue on a Wacky Packages sticker. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Mostly upright, with the ascenders leaning slightly right. The baseline runs level, and the tail drifts slightly downward at the right end. | R1, R3 and R8 are upright to slightly right-leaning, with a level baseline and a level or slightly descending tail. | Match |
| Letter construction | The 'D' starts at the far left with a curved entry that sweeps down and loops back across the baseline. It is followed by a tall single-stroke ascender and an 'h'/'r'-like hump group. | Identical construction in R1, R3 and R8: left-entry curl forming the D bowl, loop at the baseline, then the ascender and humps. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Continuous stroke from the D loop into the ascender. There is a probable lift before the final hump-and-tail group. | R1 and R8 show the same continuous D-to-ascender connection and a similar break before the final group. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry at the left of the D. The ending is a long flicked horizontal tail that thins at the end. | R1, R3 and R8 have the same curled entry and long tapered right tail. Tail length varies slightly between examples. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Fluent, rapid-looking strokes with smooth curves. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt stops at this resolution. | The references are equally fluent and fast. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Some width variation, with denser ink at stroke overlaps and turns. This is consistent with a felt-tip or paint marker. | The references show similar marker-width strokes with modest variation. Ours is in blue ink while R1, R3 and R8 are black; ink colour often varies by set. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Compact spacing between the D, the ascender and the hump group, with the tail extending well beyond. | Same spacing pattern in R1, R3 and R8. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No separate underline; the trailing tail serves as the terminal flourish. | No separate underline in R1, R2, R3 or R8; the tail acts as the flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Centred in the designated blue signature box above the printed 'DAVID GROSS ARTIST AUTOGRAPH'. The top of the D breaks above the box border. | R1, R3 and R8 are placed in designated signature areas and their D bowls also overrun the box edge. Placement varies naturally from card to card, which counts against a fixed facsimile. | Natural variation |
| Reproduction indicators | Ink density varies, with darker overlaps visible where strokes cross. No halftone or dot pattern is visible at this scan resolution. Surface sheen cannot be judged through the slab. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2023 Topps G.P.K. InterGOOlactic Mayhem artist autograph, so the signature dates to roughly 2022–2023. The usable references are all Topps-era artist autographs from about 2018–2023: R1, R3 and R8 (GPK) and R2 (2018 Wacky Packages). They share the same abbreviated stylised form, so era change does not explain any difference here. R4, R5 and R6 show the full spelled-out name 'David Gross' on a physics whiteboard (gluons, quark diagram), which points to the Nobel physicist of the same name. R7 is a painted landscape signature by a different artist named David Gross. None of R4–R7 relate to the GPK/Wacky Packages artist.
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.
