We all know Apple products are expensive, but who would have thought an Apple-1 would fetch more than a modified iPhone with a USB port?
Listed at John Moran Auctioneers for its November 9th event, the Apple-1 had two previous owners, and was one of 200 produced in 1976 for $666.66. Kits were assembled by Steve Wozniak and partner Steve Jobs in a garage, and sold through various local outlets (such as Paul Terrell’s Byte Shop in Mountain View, California) and mail order.
In those days, computers rarely came pre-assembled. Apple-1 buyers had to be prepared to follow Wozniak’s printed instructions to get the machine running.
While the new owner of this particular Apple-1 – one of just six housed in Hawaiian Koa wood – is unknown, only two other people have owned it: the seller, and the original owner. The seller (who is now $400,000 – or £294,990 – richer) recalls:
“I purchased this used from the original owner in 1977. He was a teacher at Chaffey College, and I was taking his programming course. He was excited to buy the Apple-II and sold me this for about $650. Of course, nobody knew it would become a collector’s item…”
Only 20 Apple-1 computers are believed to still be operational. Among these is the Apple-1 that sold for a massive $905,000 at auction in Bonhams of New York in 2014.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.