A Rare Apple I Computer Signed By Steve Wozniak Is Sold For $387,750

A rare Apple I computer brought in $387,750 in an online auction. The item was part of Christie's First Bytes: Iconic Technology From the Twentieth Century collection. The Apple I from 1976 was signed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. It was originally expected to fetch $500,000, with bids starting at $300,000. Nonetheless, the final bid is still significant. In 2010, an Apple I in “superb” condition sold for $174,000. This compared to the $671,400 final bid received earlier this year for a working Apple I. The model sold recently is one of the first 25 Apple I computers ever assembled. It is inscribed in black ink with the serial number 01-0025. According to the item's specialist notes:

One of roughly 200 Apple®-1 computers produced by the fledgling Apple Computer Company starting in 1976. Designed by Steve Wozniak and hand-built in Steve Jobs's parents' garage, the Apple-1 was the first step in Apple's long-term success in the personal computing world. The Apple-1, originally priced at $666.66 for the motherboard without keyboard, transformer, or video display, was quickly eclipsed by Wozniak's second creation, the Apple II (released April 1977); Apple actively encouraged Apple I owners to trade-in their machines for the new model, reportedly so they would not have to support the older machines. This particular unit appears to have been among the first 25 produced since it does not have a diamond NTI logo (the PCB manufacturer) etched into the front copper layer. The 'serial number' on the reverse (believed to have been written by the original retailer, the Byte Shop) tends to support this. The date code on the 6402 processor is '1576,' suggesting that particular chip was manufactured in the 15th week of 1976, i.e. early April.

Of the 200 Apple I computers produced, between 30 and 50 units are believed to remain. Other Apple products recently sold at Christie's include a translucent Macintosh SE Case, a prototype Macintosh Portable Computer, and an Apple Lisa Computer. Via: AppleInsider