Apple-1 sells for record-breaking $374K
| Filed under Mainstream coverage; 2 comments. |
It started simply enough: three years ago, an Apple-1 was estimated to be worth around $15,000.
Shortly thereafter, an Apple-1 sold on eBay (auction #320451173813) for $50,000.
A year later, that same Apple-1 sold at Christie’s of London for $213,000.
The latest Apple-1 to appear on the auction block, this one at Sotheby’s in New York, had a more modest estimated value of $120,000 – $180,000. Yet it set a new record when it sold for $374,500.
And worth every penny!
It’s not surprising that mainstream media would attribute the auction’s high fetching price to "the cult of Apple". But that inaccurately identifies a working Apple-1 as an illogical object of geek lust, instead of the rare and significant historical relic it is.
But even geeks sometimes buy into the hype. The CNN video recommends viewers hold onto their old iPod or first-generation iPad: "Some day, it might be a precious artifact." Although those devices were revolutionary (or at least evolutionary), they don’t signify the humble beginnings of an empire like the Apple-1 does. More important, possibly no Apple product has ever been manufactured in as low a quantity as the Apple-1. As much as we may complain about the current going rates for an Apple II on eBay, the machine isn’t exactly rare, despite the newest model being 19 years old. Given the proliferation of iOS devices, it is unlikely we will ever see them in the scarcity that now drives the Apple-1’s auctions.
On the bright side, events such as this auction have the potential to bring attention to the value and significance of classic computing. Besides Koblentz, other familiar retrocomputing enthusiasts got some nice press as a result of this event: after appearing in my previous coverage of this topic, Mike Willegal was interviewed for the run-up to this auction.
(Hat tip to Christian)
Great article, Ken. If only I had 3 Apple I’s, I’d be a millionaire! I was laughing at their silly iPad comment. I mean come on, a precious artifact? LMAO. I’m willing to bet the early generation iPads will only depreciate in value until maybe 30 years from now when they’ll be in the free section of Craigslist like most other mass produced vintage computers. I mean let’s think about this. The Apple IIGS sold a little over 1 million units and a stock model sells anywhere from free to $100. There have been like 60 to 70 million iPads sold!
Brian, exactly. I understand the point they were trying to make, but taken literally by unforgiving geeks such as ourselves, it doesn’t hold up.
Though I am reminded of the Amazing Stories (1986) episode "Gather Ye Acorns", starring Mark Hamill…