Pat Forrester and friend

I normally don't keep Certificates of Authenticity (COA.) There is no standard for COAs, and unless the certificate has your exact photo printed on it, how do you know it belongs to that item?

I believe in provenance - keeping tabs on where an autograph was obtained, if in-person, or which dealer I bought it from, especially if it's from one of the few trusted sellers I frequent.

But I decided to keep this COA, which arrived unasked with the photo I sent. To my knowledge, it's the only COA - more correctly an LOA, or Letter of Authenticity - I've seen with items returned by comedian Tim Allen.

Among his other roles, Allen was the voice of Buzz Lightyear in all three "Toy Story" movies. As may be obvious (or not), Buzz Lightyear was named after astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who includes among his accomplishments being among the first to step on the moon.

But there's one accomplishment Buzz Lightyear achieved that Aldrin hadn't - the toy flew to the International Space Station, launching on STS-124 in May 2008, and landing on STS-128 in Aug. 2009 - 450 days in space, longer than many astronauts, indeed longer than the planned one-year flight by NASA astronaut ret. Navy Capt. Scott J. Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail B. Kornienko.

I met ret. Army Col. Patrick G. Forrester during the transfer of shuttle Discovery from NASA to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in April 2012. During that time I got Forrester to sign my copy of "Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years," and forewent getting photos signed due to the scrum of astronauts present.

Later, I would send Forrester a litho I had of the STS-105 landing, which I intended to get autographed by the remainder of the 105 crew or for those astronauts who flew Discovery. I soon abandoned that as impractical and too large a project.

The above is was the photo I was going to get Forrester to sign at the 2014 Space Day held at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum if I went. I didn't, and since I already had the signed litho, decided to send it off to Forrester for his signature. I received it back within a month - sending it out 16 May, receiving it back 13 June.

And again, since I already a signed litho from Forrester, decided to take a chance and send it out to Tim Allen for his autograph after reading of successes from him. I sent it to Allen on 20 June, the LOA is dated 30 July, and I received it 11 August.

Though Allen's signature is what appears to be stylized capital letters of his first and last name, I am happy with the end result - which is all that matters. I now have a "crew complete" item.