Very Rare Original iPod in Factory Sealed Box Hits eBay for $19,995

[Crowbot]

The funny news is that this is probably dead on arrival. All these years, sealed or not, its battery is surely dead...

I thought about that too but I think that whoever buys it won't be opening the box. Indeed it would be mostly useless as a music player. Now it would be an icon.

 

[Kabeyun]

The funny news is that this is probably dead on arrival. All these years, sealed or not, its battery is surely dead...

Doesn’t mean it can’t hold a charge. Zero charge cycles.

Maybe the seller will be kind enough to throw in a FireWire 400 adapter.

 

[konqerror]

Shipping is almost $70! Are they hand delivering it?

Insurance. UPS retail rates put $20k at $208 for the insurance alone. (Commercial shippers get discounts off that and there's third-party insurance too)

 

[redheeler]

Doesn’t mean it can’t hold a charge. Zero charge cycles.

The battery is most likely discharged past the point it would ever recover from.

 

[Crowbot]

How many times over the years will this thing get sold on until, one day, someone decides to open it and finds an empty box?

I'd want to x-ray it before I laid down the cash.

 

[rpat701]

If you've got the money to do it and it's your thing to collect tech why not. I've never seen a Brinks truck backed up to a grave in the graveyard.

 

[mi7chy]

There are much more interesting Apple vintage items like IIgs, IIc+, IIe, etc. to be bought. iPod yawn... Even vintage Sony/Aiwa portable cassette tape players have a much more active community.

 

[JediStarWars]

Was interested until I saw there was no free shipping.

 

[emdub]

Still have mine. Amazingly still works. Although charging it through Firewire 400 is now a hassle.

 

[duervo]

I still have my original firewire iPod. 20gb i think. It still works. I will sell if for 3k. Now that is a bargain

I still have my old 80GB iPod 5th Gen (2006). I replaced the battery a few years ago with one from iFixit. I should sell it for $1500.

 

[Pipper99]

Delete

 

[mattopotamus]

Damn. And to think I got rid of an older model one a while back. I wonder how much I could have gotten had I held onto it?

It's only valuable because it is sealed and a collectors item at this point. I think a lot of people a missing that fact. You won't get insane money for a mint conditioned iPod.

 

[truthertech]

You need to correct the article. It's not "open for bids." Instead of putting it out for bids, the owner listed it as a "buy it now" for 20K or you can make an offer.

 

[ericgtr12]

Meanwhile you can get the original Zune on ebay for $6.50

 

[Suttree]

I think it’s important to note how MacRumors were vindicated when Apple canceled the iPod. It was a failure. And it spelled the beginning of the end for Apple, which used to make semi-passable computers but now makes watchbands and phones with 3 cameras.

 

[W.O.P.R.]

If iPods follow in the steps of most other retro-tech, prices will get silly and then people will come along that have been sitting on warehouse liquidation lots of new-in-box units that have been sitting in a corner somewhere for 40+ years. Someone (more likely several people) is sitting on boxes of these things that were unsold at some electronics store or promotional outlet when the new model came out and they were removed from the shelves. Not to mention individuals who bought units and never opened them (ex: underappreciated gift, spare that was never used, duplicate gift, already owned one and won another in a raffle...) for whatever reason.

Odds are it is way to early, and these were produced in way to high of numbers, for ridiculous prices like this to be justified by actual number of like condition units out there. This is not like an Apple I where it was a limited run of hand-built units, this was a major mass-produced device with around 400,000,000 units in the wild. There are likely plenty more units exactly like this one out there.

 

[ignatius345]

Man, these things were mind-blowing when they came out. I went from carrying 10 CDs and a DiscMan to carrying 100 albums at all times. It really was a total game changer.

I've still got a 2nd gen iPod kicking around that's in very clean shape. It's definitely not mint, and I did open it up at some point and put an aftermarket replacement battery. I wonder if it's worth anything at all.

 

[mr.steevo]

In October 2001 Apple stock was $1.33. If one had purchased $399 worth of stock instead of this iPod they’d have a heck of a lot more than $20,000.

 

[Baymowe335]

In October 2001 Apple stock was $1.33. If one had purchased $399 worth of stock instead of this iPod they’d have a heck of a lot more than $20,000.

Again, poor logic.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I'd wonder if it would even work, if the battery is still usable. I remember my first iPod, and it got sand under the wheel somehow. I returned it. (Sorry for whoever got the 'OPEN BOX' deal)

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

I'm thinking of buying it, just for the smell during unboxing.

Seems You like the smell of degraded battery’s.
Can offer that cheaper for you

 

[routine_analyst]

and the iPhone brought everything we have today, including social media.

MySpace, Friendster and Facebook existed before the iPhone, pal.

 

[GadgetBen]

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a payment, which helps us keep the site running.

That would be a big commission!

Surely the battery would have gone and leaked if it hasn't been charged regularly?

 

[BuddyTronic]

Wowsers!

I have an original iPod kicking around.

Is it worth some decent coin? I remember selling an old "Walkman II" Red colour for $600.00 on Ebay - someone from Japan bought it.

I mean - they sold a lot of em didn't they? Mint in Box is something I guess. But $20K? Wow!... Anyone know what a well used one is worth?


EDIT - I looked on Ebay and it looks like mine is only worth about $90.00

 

[The Cappy]

Damn... what people have in their minds? Wasting money on that.

Yeah. It's not like you can use or even fondle the damned thing. If you unwrap it, all the value goes up in smoke.