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Working Apple 1 Computer With Original Packaging to Be Auctioned

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A working Apple 1 Computer that comes equipped with its original white cardboard box will be auctioned by German auction house Breker on November 16, and it is estimated to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000. The unit, which is one of only a handful in existence, is number "46" of 50 original hand-built computers sold by Apple's first retailer, The Byte Shop.

apple1.jpg
"No. 46" is one of very few Apple 1s still in working order, as well as the only known example in its original box! A scarce photograph of the bedroom in Jobs' parental house shows a stack of identical boxes of the first order of 50 units.
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In addition to its original packaging and original software, the Apple 1 features a signature from original Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who designed and built each computer. Each Apple 1 originally sold for $666.66, and approximately 200 total units were produced with few remaining in functional condition today.

The Apple 1 itself is a fully assembled circuit board with more than 60 chips, designed to be enhanced with the addition of a case, keyboard, display, and power components.

Earlier this year, in May, Breker auctioned another working Apple 1 computer that fetched $671,400 at auction, breaking a previous record of $640,000 set in November of 2012. With functional components and the original packaging, number 46 could fetch a similar price.

Article Link: Working Apple 1 Computer With Original Packaging to Be Auctioned
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/15/working-apple-1-computer-with-original-packaging-to-be-auctioned/
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69650

69650

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Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
 
Jessica Lares

Jessica Lares

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Oct 31, 2009
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Shaun said:
Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
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It's history. :rolleyes:

And it would attract me. :eek:
 
keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

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Shaun said:
Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
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You've definitely missed the point. You could use the same argument about people who buy old records and never play them, buy pieces of art and never fully 'appreciate' them, buy old cars and never drive them.

To own a genuine, rare piece of history is a very special feeling. I'd personally be more horrified if somebody told me they had an Apple I, and used it for 30 years until it became a wreck.
 
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Diode

Diode

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No offense to Woz - but his signature doesn't really bring much value to anything. It seems like it's pretty easy to get him to sign just about anything apple related.

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keysofanxiety said:
You've definitely missed the point. You could use the same argument about people who buy old records and never play them, buy pieces of art and never fully 'appreciate' them, buy old cars and never drive them.

To own a genuine, rare piece of history is a very special feeling. I'd personally be more horrified if somebody told me they had an Apple I, and used it for 30 years until it became a wreck.
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I'm going to seriously high-five the person I meet would would be willing to drive a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spyder whenever the weather was nice enough for the top to be down. (For those that don't know cars it's now the most valuable ferrari at $29+mil).

While I fully understand the collectable aspect of something like this at this point in time, to purposely completely ignore it while it still had utility is stupid.
 
K

kustardking

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Diode said:
No offense to Woz - but his signature doesn't really bring much value to anything. It seems like it's pretty easy to get him to sign just about anything apple related.

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I'm going to seriously high-five the person I meet would would be willing to drive a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spyder whenever the weather was nice enough for the top to be down. (For those that don't know cars it's now the most valuable ferrari at $29+mil).

While I fully understand the collectable aspect of something like this at this point in time, to purposely completely ignore it while it still had utility is stupid.
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+1, or buy two and keep one "on the shelf"
 
noodlemanc

noodlemanc

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Mar 25, 2010
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Shaun said:
Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
Click to expand...

The kind of person who will pay 500K for an Apple 1 could probably buy all three without making a significant dent in his or her wallet ;)
 
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barkomatic

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Shaun said:
Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
Click to expand...

The person who has enough money to pay for this computer at auction already has a sports car and a yacht. :)
 
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KdParker

KdParker

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how do they really know that it is working?

Doesn't seem like you would want to fire it up.

(Does cassette machine = disk drive?)
 
gorskiegangsta

gorskiegangsta

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Mar 13, 2011
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Shaun said:
Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
Click to expand...

Well, why on earth would someone pay millions of dollars for an old, Da Vinci or Van Gogh painting? Could it possibly be because of its aesthetic and/or historical significance? :rolleyes:
 
mdelvecchio

mdelvecchio

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Diode said:
No offense to Woz - but his signature doesn't really bring much value to anything. It seems like it's pretty easy to get him to sign just about anything apple related.
Click to expand...

the man was singularly the hardware genius behind the first couple apple computers, which completely revolutionized the PC business. he's a living legend.

watch Triumph of the Nerds:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_of_the_Nerds

and spend some time here:

http://folklore.org/ProjectView.py?project=Macintosh&characters=Steve Wozniak&detail=medium
 
H

hugodrax

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I have a feeling this might be an iceberg order, some dude slowly working this order over time :)

(some guy has like 100 NOS systems) stored away and every so often one pops out on the market. :D:D
 
Diode

Diode

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mdelvecchio said:
the man was singularly the hardware genius behind the first couple apple computers, which completely revolutionized the PC business. he's a living legend.

watch Triumph of the Nerds:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_of_the_Nerds

and spend some time here:

http://folklore.org/ProjectView.py?project=Macintosh&characters=Steve Wozniak&detail=medium
Click to expand...

Not saying he's not legendary (There would be no Apple without him) - just saying his signature to things doesn't add much value. Maybe in 20~40 years but def not now.
 
bradl

bradl

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gorskiegangsta said:
Well, why on earth would someone pay millions of dollars for an old, Da Vinci or Van Gogh painting? Could it possibly be because of its aesthetic and/or historical significance? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

There is an episode of Hollywood Treasure - like American Pickers meets Hollywood History - where the team meets up with Debbie Reynolds. When the original MGM studios closed up shop at their first location, they were just going to throw out all of their props, not even thinking about historical value at that time. She spent nearly all her fortune in buying up every prop that she could find, so she could open up a museum of Hollywood history. Unfortunately, that didn't happen

Come this episode, she was willing to sell it, so she opened up her collection. Vaults, multiple shipping crates, the whole lot. What did they find? a short list:

Anubis used in Cleopatra.
Sarcophagus used either in Ben Hur, 10 Commandments, or Prince Valiant.
The original Arabian ruby red slippers to be used in the Wizard of Oz.
The carriage from the Wizard of Oz.
The statues from the 1st Academy Awards presentation.
Marilyn Monroe's dress from The Seven Year Itch.

All just for starters. I can't remember the numbers totally, but I do remember them saying that the carriage could easily go at auction for a good $100,000, just being from the movie alone. When them looked further at it, they found the serial number of the carriage and the name A. Lincoln on it. Yes. That A. Lincoln. The carriage had been used in other movies before Wizard of Oz. It was just a prop. But no-one realized that it was owned by Pres. Lincoln. That bumped the price up another $100,000.

My point: People want things like this because they are part of history, and looking at it, it gives them the feeling that they were part of something special with it; A certain point in time they remember fondly, where they were at when X happened, whatever.. The Apple I is no exception.

Impressing women? a bit petty, but whatever floats your boat. Keep in mind that those women will come and go. History is forever.

BL.
 
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Rossatron

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Shaun said:
Who is buying these and why on earth would someone want to pay so much for them? You can't do anything with it except stick it on a shelf to gather dust or stick it in a museum to gather dust. Either way it seems such a waste of money but I guess if you've got money to burn like this that probably doesn't even enter the equation. If I had that kind of money to spend on something frivolous I'd rather have a sports car or a yacht. I can't see an old Apple 1 attracting the babes.
Click to expand...


well, apparently there are these crazy people called collectors... they, how can i put this - they collect stuff.
 
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