If you’ve always wanted a piece of computer history, now is your chance. There is currently what is billed as an operation Apple-1, model of the first line of computers launched by the company in 1976, on sale on eBay. But it is not exactly cheap and will cost $ 1.5 million.
The Apple-1 is a rare souvenir and much sought after by Apple fans. Even the origin story attracts you. According to Cult of Mac, computers were designed and built by hand by Steve Wozniak and sold wholesale by Steve Jobs. To pay for the manufacturing costs, Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator and Jobs sold his Volkswagen van.
The Apple-1 for sale on eBay, which the seller claims has a certificate of authenticity from the Apple-1 registration, is special because it is one of the 50 sold to the Byte Shop, one of the first personal computer stores. The product list states that the Apple-1 is in its original Byte Shop KOA wooden box and also includes its original power supply and Datanetics Version D keyboard.
The seller, who serves by krishmiti, says the Apple-1 is an unmodified NTI card in almost perfect condition. The package also includes a period Sony TV-115 and a video modulator. (According to the cult of the Mac, users had to add their own keyboard and monitor, or use a TV set for the latter).
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Now, let’s talk about the specifications of this technological dinosaur. It had an 8-bit MOS 6502 microprocessor that ran at 1 MHz. In terms of memory, it included 4 KB by default, but this could be increased to 8 KB or 48 KB using expansion cards. Only 200 Apple-1 computers, as well as some pre-production boards, were made. Its starting price was $ 666.66.
Decades later, these devices reach much higher prices. In 2010, an Apple-1 computer in its original packaging with a letter signed by Jobs sold for $ 210,000. Meanwhile, in 2014, an Apple-1 computer sold at auction for $ 905,000, which is the highest known price anyone has ever paid for an old Apple computer, although this seller obviously wants to break that record.
There is only a small amount of Apple-1s today, partly due to age, according to Cult of Mac. Apple also allowed buyers to exchange their Apple-1s for the Apple II, which became the first mass market computer.
This is not the first time that Krishmiti has tried to sell his Apple-1. He tried to sell it for $ 1.75 million in 2019, but presumably it did not attract buyers, as it lowered the price slightly. Is an Apple-1 worth $ 1.5 million? We can find out soon.