Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Topps Garbage Pail Kids: Get A Grip Skateboards - Rory McQueen Auto · #ø
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 | Large, wide signature: a D-like opening form, a run of tall pointed humps (m/n series), and a large closing loop. Overall shape reads roughly 'D-mmh-e'. | R1, R2 and R3 all show the same skeleton: a D-like opening with a cross stroke, a series of pointed humps, and a large looped terminal. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Mostly upright to slightly right-leaning humps. The baseline drifts slightly upward to the right. | R1 and R2 are upright to slightly right-leaning with a near-level baseline. R3 is signed vertically along the bar but the internal slant is comparable. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The opening stroke descends left with a crossing horizontal stroke forming the 'D'. The humps are sharp, narrow peaks with angular turns. The final element is a tall open loop. | Same angular peaks and D construction with a crossing stroke in R1, R2 and R3. The terminal loop is present in all three. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | The hump series is continuous, written in one flowing movement into the final loop. | Continuous connected hump series in all references. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a leftward-sweeping stroke at the left. Ends with the loop running into a long horizontal trailing stroke to the right. No clear terminal dot is visible. | R1 ends with a loop plus a separate period-like dot. R2 and R3 end in a loop with a trailing tail. Whether the dot is used varies between references. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident strokes with tapered ends on the trailing stroke. No visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. | Fast, fluid strokes throughout. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavy black marker with some density variation. Darker overlaps where strokes cross. | Finer pens show lighter, more even lines, with darker overlaps at crossings. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Humps are tightly spaced. A generous gap opens before the final loop. | Similar tight hump spacing and a larger final loop. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | Long trailing horizontal stroke. No separate underline. | R2 and R3 show loose looping excursions outside the bar. No underline in any reference. | Natural variation |
| Placement and size | Large, across the lower third of the artwork over the skateboard, above the name plate. This is consistent with a hand-signed promo or in-person signature rather than a printed facsimile. | References are signed over manufacturer autograph bars, so they are constrained in size, though the strokes spill outside the bars. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our card is from 2021 Topps Garbage Pail Kids: Get A Grip Skateboards (#0), so the signature is likely 2021 or later. R3 (Topps Chrome Art of Rory) and R1 (2024 Topps Chrome GPK Series 7) are roughly 2021–2024. R2 (Bony Joanie, Topps artist autograph sticker-bar format) is likely from the same general period. All samples fall within a short span of McQueen's current signing style, so era drift is minimal. Differences in ink (black marker on ours vs. blue/green fine-tip on the references) and surface (matte base card vs. Chrome and coated autograph bars) explain the weight and sheen differences.
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.
