Davy Crockett letter sells for $62,500 at auction

Crockett was known for his exploits as "King of the Wild Frontier"

Cover Image for Davy Crockett letter sells for $62,500 at auction
Crockett's letter criticized the presidency of Andrew Jackson. (Credit: University Archives)

A letter written in 1834 by Davy Crockett criticizing the presidency of Andrew Jackson sold at University Archives on Thursday for $62,500, with buyer's premium.

It's one of the highest prices ever paid for a Crockett item and the most ever paid for one not associated with The Alamo, company founder John Reznikoff said.

Crockett served three terms as a Tennessee Congressman, but was known for his wild exploits as the "King of the Wild Frontier." When he lost his seat in 1835, Crockett famously uttered, "You can go to hell, and I'm going to Texas."

And so he did — to fight in the Texas Revolution. How much he fought at The Alamo, where he died, is of much debate, but he has certainly turned into a mythological figure over the years.

In a six-year span, from 1954-60, Crockett was one of the most popular historical characters. The television miniseries, "Davy Crockett," produced by Disney, was so popular with children that, at its height, thousands of replicas of the hat Crockett wore sold.

The love for Crockett also translated to the popularity of Disneyland. When it opened in 1955, "Frontierland" was a major staple of the park. In 1960, John Wayne played Crockett in the movie "The Alamo," which was the 10th most popular movie by box office receipts that year.

The record for a Davy Crockett item came last year at Heritage when a knife attributed to him sold for $115,625. A costume Wayne was said to wear in the filming of the movie sold at Heritage in 2014 for $36,000.

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.