Autograph Authentication Report
2024 Topps Garbage Pail Kids: Kids at Play - Smokin' Joe Auto · #100b
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 'Smokin' Joe'. A dominant oversized capital S is followed by a lower, compressed 'mokin'' and a mid-height 'Joe'. Overall the signature is wide and horizontal. | R2 and R1 show the same layout: a large S dominating the left, a compressed lowercase middle and a looped 'Joe' to the right, with similar height ratios. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Mild rightward slant. The baseline is roughly level with a slight rise through 'Joe'. | R2 has a mild right slant and a near-level baseline. R1 is similar, with a slightly upward drift at the end. | Match |
| Letter construction | The S starts with a long leftward lead-in that loops into an angular top. The 'm' has rounded humps. The 'k' and 'i' are abbreviated, and the 'n' is partly simplified, with the apostrophe as a short tick. The 'J' has a top stroke and a descending loop, the 'o' is open, and the 'e' is small and looped. | R2 builds the S the same way, from a looping lead-in into an angular top, and its 'J' and 'oe' are formed the same way. R2's 'kin' is slightly more legible than ours. R1's middle letters are similarly abbreviated. | Natural variation |
| Connecting strokes | The S connects into 'm', and 'mok' runs continuously. A lift occurs before the apostrophe and before 'J', and 'oe' is connected. | R2 and R1 show the same connection pattern, with lifts at the apostrophe and the word break. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | The S lead-in starts tapered and thin. The terminal 'e' ends in a light, tapered exit. | R2 and R1 have comparable tapered entries on the S and light 'e' terminals. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Strokes look fluid and confident with smooth curves. No visible tremor, hesitation or blunt stops at this resolution. | R2 shows equally rapid, fluid execution. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Thicker on downstrokes of S, m and J, thinner on upstrokes and the lead-in. Ink density varies slightly along strokes. | R2 shows a similar heavy-downstroke, light-upstroke pattern in blue ink. R1 uses a darker, broader marker. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Clear gap between 'Smokin'' and 'Joe'. Letters in the middle are tightly packed. | R2 has a similar inter-word gap and tight middle spacing. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The only flourish is the S lead-in loop. | R2 and R1 have no underline and the same S lead-in flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed directly across the lower-left artwork above the name banner. There is no dedicated autograph panel and no printed 'ARTIST AUTOGRAPH' text, and the signature is large relative to the card. | R2 is signed inside a blue autograph panel with printed 'SMOKIN' JOE ARTIST AUTOGRAPH' text. R1 also appears to come from an autograph panel. | Not assessable |
| Reproduction indicators | Ink appears to sit over the printed artwork with natural density variation. No halftone or dot pattern is visible at this resolution. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2024 Topps Garbage Pail Kids: Kids at Play card (#100b, Wanda Round), so it was signed in 2024 or later, during Smokin' Joe McWilliams' current GPK artist period. R2 is a Topps artist autograph from the same 2024 Kids at Play set and is the same era. R1 is undated, but its blue autograph panel resembles R2 and suggests the same or a nearby modern era. 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.
