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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.

20 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)

  2. 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 jo_ham · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The mark of the beast is 616. The monks copying up the bible and translating it assumed that it was the handwritten equivalent of a typo, and that the number should really be 666. And thus, an editorial decision affected millions of people down through the ages who freak out when 666 comes up, eg in their change or as a price for a bunch of items, or a bus route or house number.

    2. 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.
    3. 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.

    4. 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.

    5. Re:Steve Jobs, the Satanist by Plekto · · Score: 3, Informative

      According to a show I saw on the History Channel, it was actually code for the name of the current Roman emperor (so as to get past the Roman censors). And that it changed a couple of times to slightly different numbers. The original author's point was actually a scathing commentary on any form of centralized government or empire. Which makes logical sense as well for someone under arrest for their beliefs - typical rebellious manifesto type writing. But somehow that got lost after The First Council of Nicaea and the alterations that they enforced.

  3. Replica I by Hatta · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you're interested in the Apple I from a retro-computing standpoint, instead of owning a museum piece, you can actually buy a kit and build a clone.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  4. 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.

  5. 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.
  6. The auction house expects? by RapmasterT · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think the auction house HOPES it will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars...expecting it is an exercise in wishful thinking. The art of predicting auction prices on rare items is based on historical sales of similar items, this is a pretty unusual and unique circumstance.

    Part of me wants to trust them as experts, but part of me also feels that old (albeit rare) computer parts don't have the value they think it does. I guess we'll find out.

    1. 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.

  7. Re:$666.66 WTF? by blackraven14250 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not witchcraft. Cult leading.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. More auctions by Darinbob · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Check out the other auctions Christie's is having in SALE 7882. Very rare books, computer manuals, patent for the ENIAC, first edition paper by Babbage, and an Enigma machine (lot 59). Plus other antique books and maps, etc.

    There is vastly more nerdy stuff for rich collectors than a mere Apple 1.

  11. Who assembled it? by RevWaldo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Any chance Wozniak and/or Jobs were amongst the people who put it together? Or did they have people by then?

    .

    --
    Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!