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A bunch of old iPhones, sell, or keep?

dontwalkhand

dontwalkhand

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 5, 2007
6,579
3,252
Phoenix, AZ
I literally owned every iPhone with the exception of the 4S since 2007. Including the original 2G iPhone that started it all.

The 2G iPhone can barely fetch $50 nowadays. But if kept in great condition, do you think this iPhone would be worth anything?

After all it is the iPhone that started what we know as smartphones today.
 
It's kind of a toss up. On one hand it's the original iPhone, on the other it's an outdated old phone that's just about worthless. I don't think it will hold much value over the long run for a few reasons. For one, if you hold on to it long enough to have any collectors value, it's doubtful that you would be able to use it as a phone as the technology keeps evolving, or even run most apps on it. How long will the battery be good for or hold a charge?
 
I would keep the original iPhone. It's small so not like it's taking up ton of space and as you said you won't get much for selling it now.

People are paying big bucks for Newton 2100's and Steve Jobs had nothing to do with those. I think the original iPhone's will have a market for Apple collectors in the future.
 
I donated my previous iPhones to local charities so they can accept credit cards via Square payments.
Tax deduction > Street Value
 
4GB and 16GB's are slightly scarcer. MIB demands excellent money- but even complete, in an opened box (matching numbers: not refurbished!) is collectable.

I own 15 of these all in their original boxes- two that have never been activated and are running 1.1 firmware. The others are MINT with little to no use. It's taken me a couple of years to gather these.

It's a fun part of our history and even today I used one that I bought as part of a package deal (no box and it is used yet in decent shape) as an iPod at the gym.

What's a kick is trying to locate apps in the app store that will still work on these older models!
 
I'd say it's more like the original iMacs… 10 years on and they go for less than $50. Just too many of them sold.
 
dontwalkhand said:
After all it is the iPhone that started what we know as smartphones today.
Click to expand...

the iPhone was not the first smart phone ... as far as older iPhones being wort anything? ... as others have mentioned, they made too many for them to be collectible.

The only way they will retain any value ... would require them to be unopened and sealed in the original package or ... another 150 years to pass.
 
If space wasn't a problem, I'd keep them until I had a good opportunity to sell them.
 
1st Gen iPhone 4Gb Factory Sealed in box

At the risk of being flamed, I have a brand new, factory sealed 1st generation iPhone (4Gb, black) that I would like to sell. It's not up on eBay yet.

Is it permissible to mention it here? Or are sales prohibited in the forum?
 
^
You're being polite about it, but no- this isn't the forum to do so. With that preliminary out of the way, shoot me a PM as I'd be interested...
 
Apart from the iPhone 2g, (I still have mine as a backup) I can't really see the other phones being collectors items. They sold many 3Gs, 3Gs's, and 4's considering they are or were free with contract, but since the iPhone was purchase only, I think I'll be worth something in 5 years or so. Not to mention it IS the first iPhone.
I'd recommend holding on to any 2g's if you have them, and either finding a use for the newer ones, or selling them. You can't hold onto everything forever because you might make an unforeseeable profit on it sometime in the future.
 
According to Wikipedia, 6.1 million original iPhones were sold. They're pretty hearty and long-lived, from what I've seen, so I'd be willing to bet most of those are still around. I doubt it will be worth too much as a collector's item unless it's in a sealed box.

On the other hand, it's one of the single most important pieces of mobile phone history - maybe worth keeping for that alone? It's not like it takes up a ton of space :)
 
I would like a first iPhone 2g that would work on British networks, if they really go for $50 then I'm in luck.
I collect unusual phones - w900i, Nokia n91 and a few others all boxed.
 
I keep my original 4GB iPhone around mostly because I still think it's a great little device, and a 4GB iPhone makes for an interesting conversation piece with fellow geeks. It was my main phone for several years, so it's a bit worn. I keep it out of nostalgia :)

I unlocked my old 3GS through AT&T and keep it around as an international travel phone these days.

My 4S still happily lives in my pocket :)
 
One thing that I find nifty about the original iPhone relates to the Dock that shipped with it. Not only have I been able to use my Dock perfectly well with every iPhone I've owned so far (Original, 3GS, 4S, although the 3GS was a little tight), but it is one of the only Apple products made that says "©2007 Apple Computer, Inc." on it. The only other one that I've been able to ID is the original Apple TV. I suppose it's because they were both introduced an hour or so before Apple dropped the "Computer". Kinda nifty having the last product stamped as made by Apple Computer :)
 

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