Randy Guijarro Uncovers $5M Billy the Kid Photo From $2 Antique Find
Published: October 13, 2026
Randy Guijarro of Fremont, California, paid $2 for a 4‑by‑5‑inch photograph in 2010, only to discover it depicts Billy the Kid. The image, authenticated by Kagin’s Inc., is now insured for $5 million as the second known portrait of the outlaw.
Randy Guijarro of Fremont, California, paid $2 for a 4‑by‑5‑inch photograph at an antique shop in 2010—later revealed to show Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County Regulators playing croquet in 1878. Kagin’s Inc. confirmed the image’s authenticity and has it insured for $5 million.
The photograph is only the second known visual of the outlaw, the first being a 1880 tintype purchased by William Koch for $2.3 million the same year.
Kagin’s senior numismatist David McCarthy said the picture’s posture and grin made the subject unmistakable. He flew to New Mexico, locating a building fifteen minutes from John Tunstall’s home, whose diary records a croquet game—linking the setting to the 1878 gathering.
The photo offers a rare slice of life, showing Billy the Kid surrounded by friends, family, and lovers, a humanity rarely captured in outlaw lore.
A National Geographic documentary now chronicles the find, and Guijarro intends to keep the photo under insurance, potentially lending it to museums for future exhibitions.