Apple fanboys may want to pay special attention to the latest item up for grabs for those with enough cash — a working Apple-1 computer, plus a batch of other history from the iconic Fruit Company. The current bid, at the time of writing, is R6.6 million ($400,000), but you’ll likely have to put up quite a bit more.
Tech and nerd history (and other things) regularly go up for auction. Few are as cool as a fully functional Apple-1 motherboard signed by Steve Wozniak. A surprising number of those exist, but not in working order. None of them are the ‘Hatfield’ Apple.
I’ll take the Apple-1
The working unit also comes with a signed letter from Steve Jobs to the computer’s original owner, Fred Hatfield. The letter confirmed “the exchange of the Apple-1 for an Apple II 4k board,” according to the auction’s listing. In addition, the auction includes an original operation and user manual for the (again) working computer.
Bonhams, the auction house handling this one, points out that the item was previously sold in 2013, fetching around R11.5 million in its previous sale. This one is expected to sell for between $500,000 and $800,000 (R8.3 million to R13.3 million. See, the motherboard isn’t alone. We’re not just talking about the signatures, either.
The Apple-1 auction includes a “keyboard interface and connector, 3 original Sprague “Big Blue” capacitors, 8KB RAM, expansion connector, cassette board connector, [and an] original Apple cassette interface board labeled “Apple 1 Cassette Interface Copyright 1976.””
You’ll never own it, of course. Somebody who considers R13 million pocket change certainly will. If that person is you, you’ve got a little over a week to get your bid in. The Bonhams Apple-1 auction runs until 14 October, which is just enough time to secure a very specific bank loan. If you hurry.
