In 2015, a Fresno, California collector made an astonishing discovery: a $2 vintage photo bought at a junk shop turned out to be a rare image of the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid. Estimated to be worth $5 million, the tintype photo, taken in 1878, shows Billy casually playing croquet with members of his gang, The Regulators—possibly during a wedding.
Kagin’s Inc., a respected numismatics firm, authenticated the photo after over a year of rigorous examination, confirming it as only the second known image of Billy the Kid. The other known tintype, taken in 1880, sold for $2.3 million in 2010.
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, became a legendary Wild West figure known for escaping jail and allegedly killing 21 men—though records suggest nine. His life ended in 1881 when Sheriff Pat Garrett shot him in Fort Sumner. This photo offers a new, humanizing glimpse into his storied legacy.
