Rare Apple-1 Computer Sells for $375,000

[MacRumors]

A rare, operational Apple-1 Computer was recently put up for auction, and it ended up selling for $375,000. The Apple-1 was the first computer sold by Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and so few remain that they fetch high prices at auction.

The Apple-1 that sold is known as the "Bayville" Apple-1, and it is number 91 on the Apple-1 Registry. The Apple-1 Registry aggregates all known remaining Apple-1 computers, and it includes details and a history for each one. The registry has 104 Apple-1 machines listed.

The Bayville Apple-1 was part of the first batch of Apple-1 machines sold in 1976, and it has a handwritten serial number that was likely penned by Steve Jobs. It was sold with an original manual with a handwritten note by Daniel Kottke, who was Apple employee number 12.

The Apple-1 was sold alongside many other Apple-related items as part of a "Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution" auction event. A 1976 Apple Computer check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $112,054, and a sealed, first-generation 4GB iPhone sold for $87,514.

Another check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $62,500, and an Apple Lisa Computer sold for $56,818. The auction earned a total of $1,308,251.

Article Link: Rare Apple-1 Computer Sells for $375,000

 

[Rainshadow]

The average home price in the United States… makes sense.

Edit: I don’t know if it’s worse that the average home costs as much as an historic Apple computer or that an old Apple computer costs as much as the average American home.

 

[Plutonius]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

 

[BeerDrinkerDan]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

I bet it can do everything it was originally designed to do.

-bbd

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

It can multiple two numbers if you enter 90 command lines.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

More than Apple Intelligence can do.

 

[0049190]

I can understand why a museum would buy the Apple 1 but I fail to see why anyone would pay $87,500 for a sealed first generation iPhone.

 

[wyrdness]

$375,000 for 8KB of memory. Not even Apple's current RAM upgrade prices can match that. I just hope that this doesn't give Tim ideas...

 

[Getabeard80]

My dad still has his and he said he’s never selling it.

 

[victorvictoria]

Waste of money for obsolete junk. Jobs would laugh his A$$ off!

 

[ChrisA]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

The spreadsheet was the "killer app" that caused many people to buy the Apple II. But this predates that. I think this computer ran BASIC. Then you would either find or write BASIC scripts to do what you wanted. Games, if you were a hobby user or some kind of actual computation otherwise.

 

[Veinticinco]

Hmmm. Seem to recall an Apple-1 selling for around 1m maybe a decade or so ago.

That's quite a drop-off. Has the market been saturated in the last few years?

 

[Astuces iOS]

Does it runs macOS Sequoia at least?

 

[mcewen98]

I have the original 8gb iPhone with original box (A1203). Used of course, but in great shape, still powers on and holds a charge. How much can I expect to get for it?

 

[uacd]

Gives me same vibes as those Facebook Marketplace bois selling 40 year old Japanese rust cans for 40k+

 

[John_Blackthorne]

What could that machine do, other than act as a huge calculator?

 

[vegetassj4]

Wow, todays Macs have the same starting amount of RAM as this machine. Who says they can't innovate?

 

[ratspg]

A rare, operational Apple-1 Computer was recently put up for auction, and it ended up selling for $375,000. The Apple-1 was the first computer sold by Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and so few remain that they fetch high prices at auction.

The Apple-1 that sold is known as the "Bayville" Apple-1, and it is number 91 on the Apple-1 Registry. The Apple-1 Registry aggregates all known remaining Apple-1 computers, and it includes details and a history for each one. The registry has 104 Apple-1 machines listed.

The Bayville Apple-1 was part of the first batch of Apple-1 machines sold in 1976, and it has a handwritten serial number that was likely penned by Steve Jobs. It was sold with an original manual with a handwritten note by Daniel Kottke, who was Apple employee number 12.

The Apple-1 was sold alongside many other Apple-related items as part of a "Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution" auction event. A 1976 Apple Computer check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $112,054, and a sealed, first-generation 4GB iPhone sold for $87,514.

Another check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $62,500, and an Apple Lisa Computer sold for $56,818. The auction earned a total of $1,308,251.

Article Link: Rare Apple-1 Computer Sells for $375,000

I have 4 sealed 4gb iPhones lol!!! I’ll keep holding 😂

 

[johnsawyercjs]

Some years ago, my brother went to a meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club. He told me there was a guy there named Steve Wozniak showing around his prototype board for a home computer, and asking if anyone was interested in it. My brother seemed to be asking me if I wanted to chip in the $40 to buy the schematics and circuit board design, but I remember thinking, "I don't know if we can afford that."

 

[npmacuser5]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

This:
The Apple I, introduced in 1976, was Apple’s first personal computer and a pioneer in the early personal computing era.

Key Features:
• Processor: Equipped with a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor running at approximately 1.023 MHz.
• Memory: Came standard with 4 KB of RAM, expandable up to 8 KB on the motherboard, and further to 64 KB with additional expansion cards.
• Display: Featured built-in video output, allowing users to connect to a composite video monitor or a standard television via an RF modulator. This capability provided a 40×24 character display, facilitating direct interaction without the need for specialized equipment.
• Input: Required an external ASCII keyboard for user input, enabling users to type commands and programs directly.
• Storage: An optional cassette interface allowed data storage and retrieval using standard audio cassette tapes, making it possible to save and load programs.

Functional Capabilities:
• Programming: Users could write and execute programs in machine code or using a BASIC interpreter, facilitating the creation of custom applications and simple games.
• Text Display: The system could display text on the screen, supporting basic word processing and text-based applications.
• Educational Use: Served as a learning tool for computer enthusiasts and hobbyists, offering hands-on experience with programming and computer operations.

 

[mrgraff]

I didn't know about the Apple-1 Registry, neat.
I've seen #26 on their list in Sydney, Australia.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

It looks interesting but I wonder what this computer could do ?

Run BASIC or 6502 machine code.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

What could that machine do, other than act as a huge calculator?

That was largely it, though it could also run simple BASIC programs like text-based games, simple simulations like Life, etc. It was pretty much a developer platform. The things that really made it stand out, though, were its hardware features--you could plug a TV or composite monitor directly into the board and see text output without needing a separate terminal; video generation was largely done in software, using minimal hardware and clever timing tricks; it could connect directly to a standard ASCII keyboard, and keystrokes appeared on screen as you typed; you could save and load programs using audio cassette machines; it had an expansion bus; and it was much simpler than other home computers at the time, like the Altair, which had a bunch of wires and cards.

 

[lemoncrsh]

The average home price in the United States… makes sense.

Edit: I don’t know if it’s worse that the average home costs as much as an historic Apple computer or that an old Apple computer costs as much as the average American home.

It IS the first home computer

 

[digimc]

I can understand why a museum would buy the Apple 1 but I fail to see why anyone would pay $87,500 for a sealed first generation iPhone.

Maybe they were disappointed in the iPhone 16e.