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Old Apple 1 Up For Auction, Expected To Go For $160,000+

Posted by Soulskill on from the doesn't-run-flash dept.

vanstinator was one of several readers to point out that Christie's is holding an auction for one of the original Apple 1 machines, complete with a manual, the original shipping box, and the letter from Steve Jobs to the owner. The invoice says the computer was purchased on December 7th, 1976, with an Apple cassette interface card, for a total price of $741.66. The auction house expects it to sell for over $160,000.

21 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. Same old Same old by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Overpriced Apple Product? How is this news?

    (I keed I keed)

    1. Re:Same old Same old by CAIMLAS · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't be silly. After 25 years of inflation, it's actually a slight discount.

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      ~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
  2. 1up by rwa2 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Gee, thanks for getting the Mario Brother's 1up sound effect stuck in my head. It's not something I associate at all with my experiences with Apple products :-P

    Drips and "eeps", on the other hand...

  3. Steve Jobs, the Satanist by RingDev · · Score: 4, Funny

    This explains so much!

    However, because the motherboard was completely pre-assembled, it represented a major step forward in comparison with the competing self-assembly kits of the day. Priced at $666.66, the first Apple-1s were despatched from the garage of Steve Jobs' parents' house - the return address on the original packaging present here.

    That's right. Steve started selling the Apple 1 for the price of the mark of the beast.

    -Rick

    --
    "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
    1. Re:Steve Jobs, the Satanist by Princeofcups · · Score: 5, Funny

      That rounds up to 667, the neighbor of the beast.

      --
      The only thing worse than a Democrat is a Republican.
    2. Re:Steve Jobs, the Satanist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      >That rounds up to 667, the neighbor of the beast.

      Not sure how it works in the US but on most streets over here (UK), 664 and 668 are the neighbours of the beast while 667 is normally on the opposite side of the road.

    3. Re:Steve Jobs, the Satanist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      not sure how it works in the UK, but in the US, the house across the street can be considered a neighbor.

    4. Re:Steve Jobs, the Satanist by fishexe · · Score: 2, Funny

      Here in the US, we call all the people in your neighborhood "neighbors", including those across the street, down the block, and around the corner. The distinction of 664 and 668 is that they are next-door neighbors of the beast. Presumably, the beast has a larger neighborhood than just those two.

      Which I suppose makes the question relevant, "Is the Antichrist British or American?"

      --
      "I don't care about the Constitution!" --Bill O'Reilly, November 17, 2009
  4. Steve Jobs is Thrilled by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's finally going to sell for his originally recommended price.

  5. First time this is actually appropriate... by Shikaku · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes but..

    Does it run Linux?

    1. Re:First time this is actually appropriate... by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can get it running but I can't catch it aftewards.

    2. Re:First time this is actually appropriate... by Polarn · · Score: 1, Funny

      You mean, does it blend?

  6. Apple releases... by Subm · · Score: 5, Funny

    No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.

    1. Re:Apple releases... by blair1q · · Score: 3, Funny

      You're holding it wrong.

    2. Re:Apple releases... by AdmiralXyz · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't bother clicking the Anonymous button, Taco. We know it's you.

      --
      Dislike the Electoral College? Lobby your state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
  7. I'll Bid if it has.. by vchoy · · Score: 2, Funny

    The 3 GEEs and the WI-FIs... ....oh but I guess you really meant BEE GEEs and the HI-FIs??!?!

  8. VIC-20 up for auction, bargain at 1/2 the price :) by mrnick · · Score: 2, Funny

    Really???

    I have a Commodore PET and several VIC-20's to put up for auction!! I know, I know the VIC-20 only had a 22 column display but no worries I'll throw in a 40 column cartridge adapter for a mere $20,000, a MUST have if your television tube is larger than 12", huh??? ;)

    --

    Encryption: I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to encrypt it...
  9. Genius Bar?? by rwrife · · Score: 4, Funny

    If I was dumb enough to buy it, first thing I would do would be to take it to the Apple Store and ask them how to launch iPhoto on it.

  10. Apple I Doesn't Have Flash by bkmoore · · Score: 5, Funny

    Before you fan boys go falling over yourselves to buy the Apple I, be aware that Steve Jobs won't support the Flash Plugin on it. According to Steve Jobs, "Flash is a resource killer, and in order to deliver the best computing experience possible while running Integer BASIC on the 6502, we have dropped Flash." That being said, it should be possible to install Flash from a third-party cassette tape.

    1. Re:Apple I Doesn't Have Flash by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm pretty sure this flamewar should have been over 30 years ago

      --
      (1.21 gigawatts) / (88 miles per hour) = 30 757 874 newtons
  11. Re:The auction house expects? by blair1q · · Score: 3, Funny

    Of course it isn't a Picasso. The price is $160 thousand, not $160 million.

    As for the "juice", if you just got the boards it would just be a computer. With the other paraphernalia you've got a whole museum setting in one package. Anyone musing on this will be given to imagine the original owner's entire experience being one of the pioneers of computing at home. There's a depth and breadth of context that one more circuit board doesn't bring to it. And then there's the autograph and a record of Jobs' customer-service style, with a bit of wry irony in that it's typewritten.

    $160k is the low end of Christie's estimate. The high end is quite low, too.