Randy Guijarro
Randy Guijarro didn’t believe in luck. He was taught that if you wanted something that you had to work for it. Ever since he was 6-years-old, he took pride in his belongings, and he cared for them well. When he was a kid, he would pick pennies up off the street, shiny buttons, and scrap from the yard. By the time he was 7-years-old, he was given the nickname, “the hoarder.”
Obsession With Junk
Randy’s mother hoped that her son’s fascination with junk would pass. It never did. It only got worse. Randy’s house was cluttered with coins, books, comics, paintings, statues, clocks, trading cards, toys, stamps, and jewelry. His family often told him that his possessions were junk. He knew that they were wrong and finally, he was able to prove it.
Making a Living
Randy made a living by selling the treasures that he found. Each of his items had a story behind it. When he met a woman named Linda, they fell in love and decided to move in together. He promised Linda that he would cut back on his collecting. He had trouble giving up his habit of collecting. He never knew that this decision would have such a huge impact on his life.
Fulton’s Folly Antique Collective
In 2010, Randy was in the Fresno Tower District to meet a friend for coffee. On his way home, he passed Fulton’s Folly Antique Collective. Although he promised Linda that he would stop buying things until everything in the spare bedroom was sold, he was too tempted, and he went inside. He promised that he would leave within 10 minutes.
So Many Treasures
When Randy went inside, he was in Heaven. He saw pianos, records, prams, dolls, board games, and plenty of other items. He had never seen such a collection. He knew that he couldn’t leave without buying something despite his promise to Linda. He had plenty of things in his hands to purchase, but he thought of Linda and put them all back. On the way out, he saw something that he couldn’t resist.
A Blind Sale
There were two men outside shaking hands. As he walked toward them, he saw stacks of cardboard boxes on the ground. They were all different sizes. He knew that it was a blind buy. The idea of what was in the boxes caused him to become extremely excited. These types of deals usually occur when a store is overstocked. The owner probably needed to unload the items quickly to be able to bring in new merchandise. Randy wanted the boxes badly.
The Request
Randy decided to ask the men if he could take a look in the boxes. Randy was surprised when he heard that the men had heard of him from the online antique community. Before loading the boxes on the truck, Randy was allowed to look inside. Nothing stood out o him at first, but he kept looking. He was sure that there was something great in the boxes.
An Amazing Find
Randy found a smaller box in the big box with some black and white photos inside. He knew he promised Linda that he wouldn’t buy anything, but she was a sucker for old black and whites. One looked familiar to Randy, and he knew that he had to have them. He offered the men the last $2 that he had in his wallet. The men didn’t think much of the old photos, so he let Randy buy them. This man buys $2 photo in
Linda’s Reaction
When Randy showed Linda the photos, she was horrified. She asked him what he paid for them. When he told her it was just $2, she asked if he knew who it was. Finally, Randy realized why the photo looked so familiar. The couple arranged to meet with a local historian to inspect the photos. They were from the 19th century. The man in the photograph playing croquet was Billy the Kid. Billy, the Kid, was a famous western outlaw. He escaped sheriffs and prison until he was shot at the age of 21. There were never any photos of the man until now, and Randy owned it. The only other photo of Billy was bought in 2011 for $2.3 million.
Authentication
It took years and several trips across the country, but finally, Randy and Linda proved that it was Billy the Kid in the photo and it was priceless. For the first time in his life, Randy considered himself lucky. Had he not been near the antique shop after getting coffee, he never would have found the photo. This was the one time that Linda wasn’t angry with Randy for breaking their agreement and buying something when he wasn’t supposed to.
