Got $50,000? You Can Bid on This Business Card Signed by Steve Jobs

[MacRumors]

Through February 20, Boston-based RR Auction is auctioning a rare Apple Computer business card signed by Steve Jobs. RR Auction says the business card is from around 1983, and it lists Jobs as Chairman of Apple's Board of Directors.

The business card has been authenticated by well-known memorabilia grading service PSA, which rated it a "Gem Mint 10," aka a "virtually perfect card."

The next bid is already set at nearly $50,000, but note that a similar Jobs-signed business card sold for just over $181,000 at auction last year.

Jobs passed away in 2011 at the age of 56. Throughout his career, he was reluctant to sign autographs, so items with his signature on them often sell for large sums of money. In 2023, for example, a check signed by Jobs sold for over $100,000 at auction.

Article Link: Got $50,000? You Can Bid on This Business Card Signed by Steve Jobs

 

[icanhazmac]

I have no issue with how much it is, if you have the cash and want it, you do you. What is unfortunate is the very case that protects, authenticates and grades the piece also makes it impossible to display nicely. Were I to buy something like that, I'd like to display it well, instead of just pointing to that ugly thing.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I don't get the interest in the things like this, but whatever.. you do you!

 

[LogicalApex]

To each their own I guess.

I'd rather hold onto that kind of money.

 

[Belisama]

If you don't have $50,000, I can provide my own authenticated and signed business card for $5,000 only.

$45,000 Savings 🤩

 

[Crowbot]

I have no issue with how much it is, if you have the cash and want it, you do you. What is unfortunate is the very case that authenticates and grades the piece also makes it impossible to display nicely. Were I to buy something like that I'd like to display it well instead of just pointing to that ugly thing.

I would do some sort of matte frame with just the card showing. With a removable matte so I culd show the authentication.

 

[Bones402]

I have never won anything from dropping my useless business cards in places to win stuff for a long time now. System is rigged.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Buying $50k of Apple stock would be the better approach for most people.

 

[Aeronauts]

February 25th would have been Steve Jobs 70th birthday. RIP

 

[bpa1093]

If this business card gets snatched up, you could always invest that money into eggs

 

[LogicalApex]

I would do some sort of matte frame with just the card showing. With a removable matte so I culd show the authentication.

Wouldn't be a good idea. An inadequate frame would allow light to damage it and allowing removal will allow skin oils and air contamination to damage it.

Anyone buying this is using it as an investment of some kind so they'd want it preserved so it maintains its value.

 

[Plutonius]

In my opinion, some people have too much money .

 

[cube4ever]

Let’s see Paul Allen’s card

 

[ChrisA]

To each their own I guess.

I'd rather hold onto that kind of money.

OK, so you keep your $100K in the bank and it makes 2% and inflation runs at about 2% But if you invest in rare items like this or perhaps art, the hope is that you make a lot more than 2% in the investment. Yes, you could also buy shares of Apple, gold bars, or bitcoin with the money.

Will this card be worth more or less in 30 years? I don't know. Certainly, Jobs-related artifacts will be even more scarce. But maybe in 30 years, there will be fewer people who remember and care about Steve Jobs. So I see this as a high-risk investment.

As an example of what could happen. How much would you pay for a business card signed by Herman Hollerith? In the history of computing, he is at least as important as Steve Jobs but Hollerith has been dead for a long time and his memory fades.

So as I said, this is a high-risk investment. Buy it only if you can afford to lose the amount you paid. Like a slot machine, it could have a high payoff, but you could also just lose.

 

[ehrens]

I'm a sports card nut and a pedant, so I'd like to correct part of this article. A PSA-graded card carrying a GEM MT 10 rating does indeed denote a flawless card. However, this authentication was done by PSA/DNA, which is their autograph authenticating arm. This is denoted on the label itself, as well as the label having a blue border rather than a red one. This means that the card itself may as well be a square of Charmin rather than a business card, as it only grades the authenticity and flawlessness of the autograph without taking the medium it rests on into consideration.

 

[ghanwani]

I don't like collecting stuff with no practical use.

 

[ThankYouRob]

At first glance, I thought his signature was signed as "Stevie Jobs"...gives his legacy a different vibe if he was the "My name is Steve, but everyone calls me 'Stevie'" kinda guy.

 

[california_kid]

Unlike celebrities who sign thousands of autographs a year, I can see why this is worth 50k+ since Jobs never sat for an autograph session. I’m guessing most of his signatures were on legal documents hence the rarity.

 

[DTphonehome]

Let’s see Paul Allen’s card

Look at that subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh, my God. It even has a watermark.

 

[victorvictoria]

Tip for you: If you have $50,000, don't waste it on ephemera. Buy $10,000 each of AAPL, MSFT, IBM, QCOM and NVDA. You'll wind up with a LOT more money 10 years from now.

 

[Blackstick]

A fool and his money are soon parted. Spend that $50k on AAPL and you'll have more to show for it than a card that Steve himself would have called you a bozo for buying.

 

[Aeronauts]

..

 

[Aeronauts]

Tip for you: If you have $50,000, don't waste it on ephemera. Buy $10,000 each of AAPL, MSFT, IBM, QCOM and NVDA. You'll wind up with a LOT more money 10 years from now.

IBM? Interesting suggestion.

 

[LogicalApex]

OK, so you keep your $100K in the bank and it makes 2% and inflation runs at about 2% But if you invest in rare items like this or perhaps art, the hope is that you make a lot more than 2% in the investment. Yes, you could also buy shares of Apple, gold bars, or bitcoin with the money.

Will this card be worth more or less in 30 years? I don't know. Certainly, Jobs-related artifacts will be even more scarce. But maybe in 30 years, there will be fewer people who remember and care about Steve Jobs. So I see this as a high-risk investment.

As an example of what could happen. How much would you pay for a business card signed by Herman Hollerith? In the history of computing, he is at least as important as Steve Jobs but Hollerith has been dead for a long time and his memory fades.

So as I said, this is a high-risk investment. Buy it only if you can afford to lose the amount you paid. Like a slot machine, it could have a high payoff, but you could also just lose.

Buying art and other items has a value for many reasons outside of purely the sticker price, sure.

But I'm not wealthy enough to start looking for tax shelters to park money into. For my level of wealth, sticking the $50K or whatever in an index fund would be far more advantageous.

 

[fhall1]

I'm a sports card nut and a pedant, so I'd like to correct part of this article. A PSA-graded card carrying a GEM MT 10 rating does indeed denote a flawless card. However, this authentication was done by PSA/DNA, which is their autograph authenticating arm. This is denoted on the label itself, as well as the label having a blue border rather than a red one. This means that the card itself may as well be a square of Charmin rather than a business card, as it only grades the authenticity and flawlessness of the autograph without taking the medium it rests on into consideration.

I understand your point, but why would jobs have signed a fake business card?