In October 2015, a visit to a Fresno, California antiques shop led to a remarkable discovery that would captivate historians and collectors alike. A man named Randy Guijarro purchased a small, faded tintype photograph for just two dollars from a miscellaneous box of old photos — never suspecting its true significance. What began as a casual purchase eventually became one of the most talked‑about discoveries in the world of American Western history.
Experts later authenticated the image as a rare photograph of William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, depicting him in an unexpected setting: relaxed and playing croquet. In the image, the infamous outlaw appears alongside several men believed to be members of his gang, The Regulators, suggesting the photo may have been taken at a wedding celebration in the summer of 1878 — just months after the Lincoln County War. This context gives the image extraordinary historical value, capturing a moment of everyday life rather than the violence for which Billy the Kid is remembered.
Authentication of the photograph was painstaking and meticulous. The image was sent to Kagin’s Inc., a San Francisco‑based Americana and rare collectibles firm, whose experts undertook a more than year‑long investigation. The process involved historical research, facial comparison, analysis of period clothing and equipment, and even identifying the setting in Chaves County, New Mexico, by locating remnants of the building seen in the background. According to Kagin’s senior numismatist David McCarthy, initial skepticism was intense because genuine photographs of Billy the Kid are exceedingly rare — so rare, in fact, that collectors call them the “holy grail” of Western Americana.
Only one other confirmed photograph of Billy the Kid had been publicly known before this discovery — the iconic 1880 tintype portrait taken in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, which sold at auction in 2011 for about $2.3 million. The new tintype, by contrast, is larger and shows multiple identifiable figures, which dramatically increases its historical and market value. Once authenticated and insured, the croquet photo was appraised at around $5 million, making it one of the most valuable Old West images ever discovered.
Beyond its staggering monetary worth, the photograph offers historians and enthusiasts a rare glimpse into the social life of a legendary outlaw. Billy the Kid — born Henry McCarty and later also known as William H. Bonney — became an enduring figure of frontier folklore, often mythologized for his exploits during the Lincoln County War and his death at the age of 21 at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881. While folklore often credits him with 21 killings, historical records suggest he was directly involved in far fewer. The croquet image adds nuance to that legend by showing him in a peaceful, even playful moment — far from the gunfights that dominate popular imagination.
The story of the photograph’s journey — from a dusty antique to a multimillion‑dollar historical treasure — captured public fascination and was featured in media coverage and documentaries that explored both the hunt for provenance and the broader allure of cowboy‑era Americana. For many, the find underscores that sometimes the most valuable pieces of history lie hidden in the most unassuming places, waiting to be rediscovered.
