Apple I Computer Heads To Auction, Could Fetch Half A Million

Another Apple I computer is heading to auction next week, and unsurprisingly, it could sell for a lot of money. The computer will open at $300,000 and it's estimated that it'll sell for around $500,000, but if there end up being some avid Apple I enthusiasts bidding on the artifact, the selling price could go even higher.

The Apple I computer is owned by Ted Perry who is a retired school psychologist from Sacramento, California. He acquired the computer in a swap over 30 years ago. The best part is, Perry says he paid nothing for it, and simply just traded "some other computer equipment" for the Apple I machine. Perry kept it all these years and confirmed that it still works.

Just recently, an Apple I was auctioned and it sold for almost $700,000. That's a lot of money for just a circuit board and a few resistors, but knowing that there are only a handful of working Apple I computers out in the wild, it should be no surprise that these machines are selling for so much. As for whether this upcoming auction will fetch more money, it's anyone's guess.

The Apple I was made in 1976 and was the first product that Apple ever made. It was also one of the most DIY products the company ever made. Co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak designed and built the computers in Jobs' family garage, and it consists of a few electronic components strapped to pieces of wood.

It may be a simple machine compared to today's standards, but the Apple I started a revolution back in the 70s and 80s, and many people argue that the Apple I started the personal computer craze, where computers were no longer used for just governmental or corporate uses, but they could be used by anyone in their homes.

SOURCE: Christie's