Man Buys Photo For $2 At Garage Sale, Realizes Its Worth Millions After Spotting Small Detail
A man in Fresno, California, got the shock of a lifetime after buying an old photograph for just two dollars at a local garage sale. What he thought was a dusty, forgotten snapshot turned out to be a historic treasure possibly worth $5 million—all because of one extraordinary detail. The faded image captures none other than the legendary outlaw Billy the Kid, casually playing croquet with members of his gang.
The photo, a modest 4-by-5-inch tintype believed to have been taken in the summer of 1878, was recently authenticated by Kagin’s Inc., a respected firm specializing in rare coins and historical documents. Experts believe the image may have been snapped during a wedding celebration and shows Billy the Kid surrounded by his gang, The Regulators. For collectors and historians, this is no ordinary discovery—authentic photographs of Billy the Kid are incredibly rare and highly sought after.
David McCarthy, a specialist with Kagin’s, explained that authenticating the image was an intense and meticulous process. The photo wasn’t immediately accepted as real just because one of the figures resembled Billy the Kid. It took over a year of rigorous analysis, including close inspection of the clothing, background, weather conditions, and even a visit to the suspected location where the photo was taken. A team of experts was brought in to verify every aspect of the image, and the results left little doubt. “When we first saw the photograph, we were understandably skeptical—an original Billy the Kid photo is the Holy Grail of Western Americana,” McCarthy said. “After more than a year of methodical study, including my own inspection of the site, there is now overwhelming evidence of the image’s authenticity.”
This photograph is now considered as significant as the only other confirmed image of Billy the Kid, a tiny 2-by-3-inch portrait taken in 1880 in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. That photo, which shows Billy armed and standing with a rifle, sold for $2.3 million at auction in 2010. Now, this newly verified image could double that price—and it all started with a simple $2 garage sale find.
Billy the Kid, whose real name was likely Henry McCarty or William H. Bonney, is one of the most iconic figures from the American Wild West. Known for his role in the Lincoln County War, he became infamous as a gunslinger and fugitive. While folklore claims he killed 21 men—one for every year of his life—most historians believe the true number was closer to nine. The New Mexico Tourism Department attributes four confirmed deaths to him, including two guards he shot during a daring jailbreak, and says he was involved in five others. His life as an outlaw ended in 1881 when Sheriff Pat Garrett tracked him down and shot him in Fort Sumner.
The discovery of this long-lost image offers a rare and captivating glimpse into the life of one of America’s most mythologized outlaws. What began as a casual bargain hunt turned into the unearthing of a priceless relic from the Old West, adding a vivid new chapter to the enduring legend of Billy the Kid.