A 130-year-old photo, billed as the only authenticated picture of legendary outlaw Billy the Kid, sold for $2.3 million at a Denver auction a week ago.
The Old West Show & Auction had estimated the tintype -- an early photographic technique that used metal plates -- to bring in between $300,000 and $400,000.
"When the bidding ended, the whole room erupted in clapping and people leapt to their feet," said Melissa McCracken, spokeswoman for the auction. "I've never experienced anything like this before,"
The winning bidder was billionaire William Koch.
The auction started with five bidders. Within two minutes, the bids shot up to a million dollars. "The bidding was absolutely crazy," McCracken said.
Billy the Kid reportedly paid 25 cents to have the photo taken in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
The outlaw was born Henry McCarty but was also known as William H. Bonney and Henry Antrim. Popular history has him gunning down 21 men, but many historians say the actual number was probably closer to nine.
He later died at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett when he was only 21.
In addition to shooting the Kid, Garrett was largely responsible for his fame; Garrett, along with a fellow named Ash Upton, was the author the biography The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid. A lot of the information in the book was inaccurate, but it was a tremendously popular book.
Garrett may have been better looking, certainly dressed better and was more photogenic, but I doubt if his picture will ever sell for half as much.
Bob--very good. I've seen this photo many times but had no idea it sold for so much money. That amount could feed an entire Third World Country. Something is wrong with this picture. Why was Billy the Kid so famous? He was ugly, he was mean, and he was worthless. Now...his 25 cent photo brought millions of dollars. Not right at all. Celia
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