Rare Working Apple 1 Computer Headed to Auction

German auction house Breker (via ComputerWorld) is set to put a working Apple 1 on auction later this month and it may fetch between $240,000 and $400,000. There are an estimated six working Apple 1 computers in existence.

apple1

The Apple 1 is signed by Steve Wozniak and was originally owned by Computer Data Systems' Fred Hatfield. The computer is also bundled with the original manual and a letter from Steve Jobs to Hatfield in which Jobs offers to exchange Hatfield's Apple 1 for an Apple II 4K motherboard if Hatfield is willing to pay an extra $400.

As noted by AppleInsider, the record price for an Apple 1 was $640,000 at an auction in December. Last August, a non-working Apple 1 headed to auction with a much lower $125,000 estimate. Before that, another Apple 1 fetched $375,000 at Sotheby's auction in New York.

The Apple 1 was originally priced at $666.66 when it was released in 1976, with only 200 units produced. It's believed that there are roughly 30 to 50 still intact.

Top Rated Comments

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szw-mapple fan

76 months ago

Time to make a copy and sell it for a high price.;)

Don't worry, Samsung will do that.

Rating: 13 Votes

Winni

76 months ago

Given its age, I'm amazed this one still works.

Well, back in the 1970s, Apple hadn't yet adopted the Planned Obsolescence business model... ;)

Rating: 11 Votes

Klae17

76 months ago

$666,666.66. Final offer.

Rating: 5 Votes

jayducharme

76 months ago

So what is it - six or 50 ...

I assume when they say six working versions, the rest would be non-functional. Given its age, I'm amazed this one still works ... and that it could actually generate an image of Steve Jobs.

Rating: 5 Votes

Twimfy

76 months ago

Who in the world would want this thing? It's probably been deemed obsolete by Apple, and thus you can't get any Genius Bar support for it. ;-)

I'd like to buy it just to take it to a Genius Bar and see how they react.

Rating: 5 Votes

IJ Reilly

76 months ago

And you are of course invited to give an example of "Planned Obsolescence" and how that is Apple's business model. I am curious.

In a way, this is every manufacturer's business plan. Nobody makes products that they expect to last forever, or are so perfect that they can never be improved upon. But the term "planned obsolescence" is overworked, as it was originally coined to describe products that were deliberately designed to break, and create a need for them to be replaced. People often confuse their desire to own a newer, better product with the one they already own being broken. In this case, the "obsolescence" is in their own mind.

Rating: 5 Votes

Jibbajabba

76 months ago

There are an estimated six working Apple 1 computers in existence.
....
It's believed that there are roughly 30 to 50 still intact.

So what is it - six or 50 ...

Rating: 4 Votes

gnasher729

76 months ago

Well, back in the 1970s, Apple hadn't yet adopted the Planned Obsolescence business model... ;)

Actually, the Apple I is so rare because owners were offered a cheap upgrade to an Apple II and many took the opportunity. I believe the ones that were exchanged all got destroyed. The only ones that still exist are those where the owner did hang on to obsolete equipment.

And you are of course invited to give an example of "Planned Obsolescence" and how that is Apple's business model. I am curious.

Rating: 4 Votes