Autograph Authentication Report
2023 Topps Baseball Series One - Baseball Stars Autograph Card · #BSA-AG
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 | Wide, low signature: a looped 'Al' block, a large 'G' formation with a descending loop, then a trailing '4'. | R4 and R1 show the same wide 'Al' + big looping 'G' + number layout. R5 and R8 are earlier and more legible but share the 'Al' then 'G' two-part structure. R2/R3 are compressed on a ball. | Natural variation |
| Slant and baseline | Near-upright strokes with a nearly flat baseline. | R4, R5 and R8 are near-upright with a slight rise. R1 and R7 rise more. Measured slant and angle fall within his range. | Match |
| Letter construction | The 'A' is formed as an open cursive loop flowing into a looped 'l'. The 'G' is a large looped form with a lower loop crossing back through the body. | R4 and R6 show the same open-loop 'A' and a 'G' with a big lower loop. R5 shows a clearer 'Al' and a looping 'G'. R8 is a quick, legible 'Al Gor'. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'A' connects into 'l'. There is a lift before the 'G' group, and the number is separate. | Same break pattern in R4, R5 and R6: the first name and surname groups are separated and the number is detached. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Tapered entry on the 'A'. The 'G' exits rightward into a separate '4'. | R4 ends with a detached '4'. R6 ends with a detached '7' (early era). R5 ends with a small detached numeral-like mark. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident curves with no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. | All references show fast, looping strokes. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Some width variation along the curves, consistent with a felt-tip on a sticker surface. | Comparable variation in the R4, R5 and R6 marker examples. Measured thickness variation is right at the reference average. | Natural variation |
| Spacing | Tight spacing between the 'Al' group and the 'G' group. | R4 is similar. R5 is more spaced because of the earlier, more legible form. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The lower loop of the 'G' serves as the flourish. | No underlines in the references. A looping 'G' tail appears in R1, R4, R6 and R7. | Match |
| Placement and size | Centered within the Topps certified-autograph sticker window, sized to the sticker. | Sticker placement is normal for this Topps product. Not directly comparable to the photo and ball references. | Match |
| Reproduction indicators | Ink appears to sit on the clear sticker with uneven density. No halftone pattern is visible at scan resolution. | Not applicable. | Not assessable |
Measurements
Software traced the ink and measured it against the known examples. The shaded band is the signer's normal range across those examples; the gold marker is this card.
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Normal range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slant of upright strokes | -3.6° | -15.9–-2.2° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | 0.5° | 1.0–5.1° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.326 | 0.295–0.829 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 4.44× | 3.31–5.5× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.369 | 0.318–0.442 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 11 | 3.0–10.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 8 | 3.0–12.0 | In range |
Our software measured seven features of the signature and compared each with Gordon's own reference autographs. These were the slant of upright strokes, the overall writing angle, the height-to-width shape, ink travel, stroke thickness variation, closed loops, and separate strokes. All seven fell within the range his genuine signatures normally show, most of them very close to his average. Closed loops ran a little high but still within normal. The first three features are the most reliable; the rest are sensitive to photo conditions. Taken together, the numbers support authenticating this signature, alongside the visual comparison.
Examiner notes
Ours is a 2023 Topps Series One Baseball Stars Autograph, signed after Gordon retired in 2020. It shows his later Royals form: a looped 'Al', a large looping 'G', and a trailing '4' for the jersey number he wore from about 2010 on. R8 (2006 Tristar prospect card) and R5 (Upper Deck certified) are earlier, more legible forms that spell out 'Al Gor…'. R6 shows a trailing '7' from his early number, so it predates 2010. R1 is from 2009 (Opening Day 2009 patch on the photo). R4 carries the '4' and is closest in era and style to ours. R2/R3 are a compressed form on a baseball surface and are undated. The differences in legibility between early and late examples fit normal career simplification.
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.
