The Tin Type Photo of Billy

[ChiefAdmin]

Here are some interesting facts about the "famous" Tintype Photo of Billy the Kid:

The tintype photo of Billy became known as the "Upham Tintype".
The reason for this "title" is due to the fact Dan Dedrick officially gifted this metal photograph to his nephew Frank L. Upham.

Frank kept this photo safe and secure in Weaverville, California for several decades, where he lived.
In 1986, Frank Upham's heirs loaned it to the Lincoln County Heritage Trust museum in New Mexico.
A worker at the museum scratched the photo while attempting to clean it.

After this unfortunate incident occurred, the family took the photo back from the museum.
In June 2011, they cosigned it to an auction, where billionaire William Koch purchased it for $2.3 million dollars.

2 x 3 Tintype photo of Billy the Kid - taken in 1879 or 1880.jpg

ChiefAdmin
TAB - Truth About Billy the Kid Forum

UPDATE: This post was edited by the Forum Administrator on August 2, 2026

[OutlawBuddy]

Thanks for posting this admin! This is very interesting - never knew this about the tintypephoto - before reading it here.
Surprised there hasn't been more "views" of this post!
Do you think there were other photos taken of Billy? (I'de give just about anything to have them.)

[ChiefAdmin]

Thanks for posting this admin! This is very interesting - never knew this about the tintypephoto - before reading it here.
Surprised there hasn't been more "views" of this post!
Do you think there were other photos taken of Billy? (I'de give just about anything to have them.)

In answer your question:
There are several factors one must acknowledge first before reaching hard conclusions.

First, in the era Billy lived in, photography wasn't very far advanced by any stretch of the imagination.
Secondly, most people of that era - especially in the western states and territories didn't have a lot of money to spend on frivolous whims or items which were not really a necessity in ones' life.

But does this Forum Administrator think there may have been other photos taken of Billy? Yes, I do.
However, here is the "catch" to this: Just because there may have been photos taken of Billy besides that of the now famous Tintype Photo,
does not necessarily mean that they would have remained in existence; due to many circumstances, the "holder" or owner of the photograph/s may have done any number of things with them!

Chief Admin for,
TAB - Truth About Billy Forum