Billy the Kid banknote smashes estimate

A banknote claimed to have been recovered from the body of infamous outlaw Billy the Kid has achieved £1,500 ($1,881) in a sale in Bristol, UK.

The remarkable piece soared past its estimate of £300 ($375) earlier today.

Billy Kid banknote

Could this be the real deal?

The provenance of the piece is unclear, hence the low estimate and modest sale price.

The banknote itself is in very poor condition and comes attached to a note explaining that Yginio Salazar, a member of Billy’s gang, took it from the outlaw's pocket after he was shot dead in 1881.

As Andrew Stowe of East Bristol Auctions explained to the Daily Mirror before the sale: "We have spent six months trying to research the note but like with most things related to Billy the Kid, nothing can really be proven for sure and you are left with best guesses.

"So much of the known Billy the Kid history is based on assumption, folklore or hearsay that there are really no facts surrounding his death.

"All I would say is the bank note and note accompanying it are consistent with the date and age and the story in the letter does make sense.”

The new owner will enjoy an enormous return on their investment, should the piece be proven authentic in the future.

In 2011, the only known photo of Billy the Kid sold for $2.3m in a sale in Colorado.

Today's successful bidder may be hoping for a similar result in time.

You can take a look at all our memorabilia for sale here.

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