#Lawmen #Cowboys #Collecting #Gunfight #O.K #Corral #WorthPoint
Lasting a mere thirty seconds, the exchange of fire in Tombstone, Arizona, on the afternoon of October 26, 1881, is the most famous gun battle in history. In a blaze of approximately thirty shots, three men lay dead, with a further three wounded.
Lawman Wyatt Earp remains the most famous figure in the gunfight, and collectibles associated with him tend to be the most valuable. Several films and books have immortalized the event, meaning it is ever-present in the public consciousness.
The History
Wyatt Earp and his brothers Morgan and Virgil came to Tombstone to get rich. The Arizona Silver Boom was in full swing, and the town had serious money. Falling back on their lawmen credentials, the trio soon enforced justice. But money attracted all kinds of criminals, including a cattle-rustling gang known as the Cowboys, led by figures like Ike Clanton.
The reasons for the animosity between the two sides are complex, involving an anti-firearm ordinance, a stagecoach robbery, and accusations that Ike was an informer. Whatever the reasons, the afternoon of the 26th saw this animosity spill over into bloodshed. In barely a minute, Cowboys Tom and Frank McLaury, along with Billy Clanton (Ike’s brother), lay dead. Virgil took a bullet in the leg, Morgan had one skim across both shoulder blades, and Doc Holliday (Wyatt’s friend) was wounded in the hip.
The subsequent war between the Cowboys and Earps would see Virgil wounded a second time and Morgan murdered. In response, Wyatt and Doc went on their famous “Revenge Ride,” killing several more Cowboys.
Period Items
Period items offer collectors a unique and tangible link to the past, and as such, they tend to be expensive.
After the gunfight, Wyatt and his third wife, Josephine, traveled to Alaska in the 1890s, trying to strike it rich in the Klondike Gold Rush. Wyatt’s fame preceded him, and the citizens of Nome, Alaska, reportedly gifted him a pearl-grip Colt revolver. Though the item’s provenance was not exceptional, the lure that it may have once belonged to the lawman meant it went for almost $40,000 in 2022.
Another item from Earp’s later life is his personal Bible, with his name and rank of Deputy Marshal embossed on the cover. Presented to him in 1911, it sold for $50,000 in 2016 and would likely be worth more now.
In 1870, Wyatt was serving as a constable in Lamar, Missouri. A court note bearing his signature fetched $15,000, even though it had nothing to do with the O.K. Corral gunfight. Even non-famous autographs can be valuable where they are associated with the Earps; E.B. Gage was a businessman who supported Wyatt during the “Revenge Ride.” In 2019, a totally unrelated mining stock certificate he signed went for nearly $200.
Sticking with autographs, an incredible document containing all the signatures of the Cowboys came on the market in 2016. This was an 1874 petition “To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of Pima County to establish a presink at Clantonville.” It was an attempt by the Cowboys to appoint one of their own gang to the position of Justice of the Peace. The reverse of the paper says, “Petition granted and Precinct Established.” This fascinating piece went for over $8000 at auction.
Because of its unique Western history, Tombstone the town is collectible. In 2022, a period-mounted photograph of Tough Nut Mine, located just outside the town, went for nearly $2000.
Modern Memorabilia
Plenty of O.K. Corral collectibles are available for collectors with lesser budgets, including several pieces of film memorabilia.
While most of the films would have you believe Earp carried a long-barreled revolver, he likely used a .44 caliber Smith and Wesson (and without a holster – most documentary evidence shows he simply carried it in his coat pocket). The Franklin Mint has produced an authorized display version of the weapon that can be picked up for around $200.
Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster starred as Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp in the 1957 picture Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Original movie posters from ‘50s Hollywood are desirable to modern collectors, as reflected in the $100 auction price this one fetched in 2021.
Yet, of all the Wyatt Earp films and TV shows, I still rate Tombstone (1993) as the best. Starring Kurt Russell as Wyatt and Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, the film featured superb performances all around (even if it played around somewhat with historical accuracy). The film remains a classic, and a mint-condition original movie poster recently went for $350.
Props from Tombstone also sell for decent amounts. Take one of Sam Elliot’s (Virgil Earp) prop revolvers used in the production, which went for nearly $800 in 2022. Other props can be picked up for far less, including a fake copy of the town newspaper–The Tombstone Epitaph–which sold cheaply in 2019.
If you are into high-quality models, then the “Six Gun Legends” series from Sideshow produces a striking 1:4 scale model of Earp holding a historically accurate Smith & Wesson. One sold for an eye-watering $1500 in 2021.
And even the world of Funko Pop has bought in on the Earp name. Love them or hate them, one boxed figure of Wyatt Earp bearing actor Kurt Russell’s autograph reached $1000 in 2022.
Books and comics can also be valuable. Perhaps the key history book that first tried to examine the Earp myth is Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal–the first authorized biography of his life. A bestseller in the 1930s, today, a hardback copy can sell for around $150. Comics depicting the lawman were mass-produced throughout the 1950s and ‘60s and can be picked up at very reasonable prices today.
Along with the Revolution and Civil War, the Wild West is one of the most iconic periods in American history and one that helped define the national character. Of all the famous events from those times, perhaps none has captured the public imagination more than the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Whether you’re collecting movie props or historical items from the event, preserving them lets you engage with one of America’s most defining moments.
Matthew Doherty is a writer, editor, and teacher specializing in all things history-related. His work has been published in the UK Defence Journal, the Small Wars Journal, and The Collector. He holds an MSc from the University of Edinburgh and a BA from the University of Leeds. In his spare time, he also writes science fiction stories.
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