A method for mark verification, the method comprising receiving an image of a candidate mark; using the image of the candidate mark to measure one or more optical or physical characteristics of the candidate mark at a plurality of locations on the candidate mark, resulting in a first set of metrics; trimming the first set of metrics by removing one or more highest metrics from the first set of metrics, resulting in a trimmed first set of metrics; retrieving , from a database, a second set of metrics that represents one or more optical or physical characteristics measured at a plurality of locations on an the original mark; trimming the second set of metrics by removing one or more metrics corresponding to the one or more metrics removed from the first set of metrics, resulting in a trimmed second set of metrics; determining whether the candidate mark can be verified to be genuine based on a comparison between the trimmed first set of metrics with the trimmed second set of metrics; if, based on the comparison, it is determined that the candidate mark cannot be verified to be genuine, carrying out further actions comprising: removing a next highest metric from the trimmed first set of metrics, resulting in a further trimmed first set of metrics; removing , from the trimmed second set of metrics, a metric corresponding to the metric removed from the trimmed first set of metrics, resulting in a further trimmed second set of metrics; comparing the further trimmed first set of metrics with the further trimmed second set of metrics; and determining whether the mark can be verified to be genuine based on the comparison of the further trimmed first set of metrics and the further trimmed second set of metrics. receiving an image of a candidate mark; using the image of the candidate mark to measure one or more optical or physical characteristics of the candidate mark at a plurality of locations on the candidate mark, resulting in a first set of metrics; trimming the first set of metrics by removing one or more highest metrics from the first set of metrics, resulting in a trimmed first set of metrics; retrieving , from a database, a second set of metrics that represents one or more optical or physical characteristics measured at a plurality of locations on an the original mark; trimming the second set of metrics by removing one or more metrics corresponding to the one or more metrics removed from the first set of metrics, resulting in a trimmed second set of metrics; determining whether the candidate mark can be verified to be genuine based on a comparison between the trimmed first set of metrics with the trimmed second set of metrics; if, based on the comparison, it is determined that the candidate mark cannot be verified to be genuine, carrying out further actions comprising: removing a next highest metric from the trimmed first set of metrics, resulting in a further trimmed first set of metrics; removing , from the trimmed second set of metrics, a metric corresponding to the metric removed from the trimmed first set of metrics, resulting in a further trimmed second set of metrics; comparing the further trimmed first set of metrics with the further trimmed second set of metrics; and determining whether the mark can be verified to be genuine based on the comparison of the further trimmed first set of metrics and the further trimmed second set of metrics. removing a next highest metric from the trimmed first set of metrics, resulting in a further trimmed first set of metrics; removing , from the trimmed second set of metrics, a metric corresponding to the metric removed from the trimmed first set of metrics, resulting in a further trimmed second set of metrics; comparing the further trimmed first set of metrics with the further trimmed second set of metrics; and determining whether the mark can be verified to be genuine based on the comparison of the further trimmed first set of metrics and the further trimmed second set of metrics. <EOS>