Autograph Authentication Report
1993 Leaf Donruss MVP - George Brett Auto · #MVP-3
Findings
Signature comparison
This card. The signature as cropped from the slab photo (back).
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, sweeping signature. Tall 'G' and 'B' loops dominate, middle letters are compressed, and the t-stems are tall with a long cross-bar. | R1, R2, R6 show the same architecture: dominant tall capitals, compressed middle, prominent t-crossing. R3/R4 are smaller, tighter versions of the same form. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Moderate right slant. Baseline rises slightly toward 'rett'. | R1, R2, R6 show a similar right slant and a slightly rising baseline. R3/R4 are similar. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'G' | Entry high at left with a long downstroke into a rounded lower loop at bottom-left, then into a small, abbreviated 'eorge'. | R1, R2, R6 build the 'G' the same way: tall downstroke with a lower-left loop. R3/R4 are smaller but use the same construction. | Match |
| Letter construction – 'B' and descender | Tall upper loop of 'B'. The downstroke runs well below the baseline into a large closed loop that crosses the medallion. | R6 and R1 show the same long sub-baseline 'B' descender loop. R2 shows a similar but shorter version. | Match |
| 'rett' and t-crossing | Compressed 'rett' rising to tall t-stems, crossed by one long, slightly ascending cross-bar extending right. | R1, R2, R6, R7, R8 all show the same long single cross-bar over tall t's, often extending past the last stem. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | Mostly continuous through 'eorge' into 'B'. A lift before the t-crossing is expected. | Same pattern in R1, R2, R6: continuous body with a separate t-bar stroke. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts and terminal cross-bar appear tapered and committed at this resolution. No obvious blunt ends. | References show tapered, fast entries and exits. | Natural variation |
| Line quality and speed | Fluid, confident curves with no visible tremor, hesitation or patching in the scan. | Fast, fluent line quality in all authenticated references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Broad blue marker with fairly even density. Slight width variation on curves. Resolution limits pressure analysis. | Marker references (R2, R6) show similar even density, typical of felt tips. | Not assessable |
| Spacing | Tight letter spacing in the middle section, wide spread between the capital loops and the t-crossing. | Matches R1, R2, R6. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline or inscription. The large 'B' descender loop serves as the main flourish. | No underline in references. Inscriptions ('3000', 'HOF 99', '85 Gold Glove') appear only on some items. | Match |
| Placement and size | Large, centered over the photo and medallion, crossing the printed ribbon. Natural placement for an in-person card signing. | R1 and R6 are similarly large and placed across the image. | Match |
| Reproduction indicators | No visible halftone or dot pattern in the ink. The ink appears to sit over the printed medallion and ribbon. Under- or over-gloss cannot be confirmed from the scan. | N/A | Not assessable |
Examiner notes
Our item is a 1992 Donruss MVP insert (MVP-3), so it was signed in 1992 or later. The signature is the compressed, fast 1990s–2000s form: a large looping 'G', abbreviated 'eorge', a tall 'B' with a long descending loop, and 'rett' with tall t-stems under one long cross-bar. The closest era match is R2 (BAS, dated Sep 30, 1992). R1 (PSA/DNA), R3/R4 (JSA, R3 with 'HOF 99', so 1999 or later) and R6 show the same mature form. R5 (PSA/DNA, 1976 Topps) is early-career and far more legible, so its differences are expected era variation. R7/R8 are post-career ball signatures on a curved, textured surface.
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.
