A functioning Apple 1 computer, one of the first 200 computers sold by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, sold for $374,500 including the 12% buyer's premium at a Sotheby's action in New York. The Apple 1 originally sold for $666.66. The BBC notes that only about 50 Apple 1's still exist and only a handful actually work.
Sotheby's said there was a battle between two parties for the item which also included the original manuals. A set of bids were executed by the auctioneer on behalf of an absentee collector, but a telephone bidder proved more persistent and eventually clinched the sale.
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APPLE I COMPUTER
Operational Apple Computer I. An Apple I motherboard, labeledﾠon obverse AppleﾠComputer I, Palo Alto, CA. Copyright 1976. Includes circuit board with four rows A-D, and columns 1-18; MOS Technologies 6502 microprocessor, labeled MCS 6502 3776; video terminal; keyboard interface; 8K bytes RAM in 16-pin 4K memory chips; 4 power supplies including 3 capacitors; firmware in PROMS (A1, A2); low-profile sockets on all integrated circuits; breadboard; heatsink; expansion connector; cassette board connector. (15 1/8 x 9 in.; 385 x 234 mm)
Together with: Apple I Cassette Interface, labeled Apple I Cassette Interface Copyright 1976, partial "G" lettered in triangle on reverse, in black ink manuscript (4 x 2 in.; 102 x 50 mm). — Apple-I Operation Manual. Palo Alto: Apple Computer Company. 12 pp. in wrappers (11 x 8 1/2 in.; 280 x 214 mm), with 8 circuit diagrams, 2 on foldout printed verso and recto, one full page; with original Apple Computer Co. logo on upper wrapper; tear along fold, light staining on wrapper and bottom right corner. — Apple-I Cassette Interface Manual, Palo Alto: Apple Computer Company. Oblong 8 pp. bifolia (8 1/2 x 5 1/2 in.; 140 x 215 mm), with some staining to wrappers; original logo on upper wrapper, warranty onﾠlower wrapper —ﾠPreliminary Apple BASIC Users Manual. Palo Alto: Apple Computer Company, October 1976. 8ﾠstapled sheets (11ﾠx 8ﾠ1/2 in.;ﾠ280ﾠxﾠ214 mm), printedﾠversoﾠand recto, with first sheet onﾠblueﾠpaperﾠwith tear along stapleﾠandﾠmanuscript "Randy JﾠSuess."ﾠSomeﾠstaining toﾠfirstﾠandﾠlastﾠpage,ﾠwithﾠtearﾠonﾠlast page. — Double-sidedﾠadvertisement with illustration for Apple IﾠComputer and theﾠApple Cassette Interface,ﾠwith manuscriptﾠnote (11 xﾠ8ﾠ1/2 in.; 280 x 214 mm).
Early Apple memorabilia has been a hot ticket recently. Sotheby's sold Apple's founding corporate papers -- signed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ron Wayne -- in December for nearly $1.6 million.
Top Rated Comments
Some people like to collect things. The first product hand-built by one of the founders of one of the most storied corporations in world history might be an interesting thing to collect.
I have a customer, who worked with Woz, during his time at HP. On my second visit to him we talked about older Macs. I waxed lyrical about my original Macintosh and he listened intently. He then told me that he had a collection of old Macs out in the garage that he would show me sometime. On my third visit, he duly obliged.
Neatly laid out on three shelves were 6 Apple II computers, 4 of which worked fine. He then pulled a fabric cover off the stuff on the bottom shelf to reveal three Apple I computers. I was assured that two of them were fully functional and that he also had complete paperwork and packaging for them. Was he not a very ill, wheelchair-bound man, i would have asked to see them running.
I was then shown an email conversation between him and Mr Wozniak. They had remained in touch with each other and Woz had promised that he would fix up his broken II's and I, if possible and would be sure to pack his soldering iron if he was ever visiting the country.
;)
Worst pop-psy ever.
Answer: Because what people choose to do with their money is, frankly, none of your business.