The computer, in good condition, is even rarer because it has a strange wooden box, estimated at $400,000 to $600,000 (between $497,000 and CAD $746,000) by the company. John Moran who organized the auction in Monrovia, near Los Angeles.
An Apple-1 device like this sold for more than $900,000 ($1.1 million CAD) in 2014.
The company founded by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs built a total of just 200 Apple-1s, all assembled by hand at Jobs, most of which were sold at the time for $666.66 ($829).
According to expert Cory Cohen, who interviewed him Los Angeles Times, 60 Apple-1s have been listed so far, but only 20 of them, including the one sold by John Moran’s home, are still operating.
The model is more authentic because it has an exotic wooden case, the koa, which is native to the Hawaiian Islands. There are only six known examples of Apple-1 with koa dwellings, according to John Moran’s home catalog.
In 1976, Apple-1s were among the first models of personal computers that were already assembled, with components already soldered to the motherboard in particular, but often sold without a case or keyboard.
The copy sold on Tuesday was purchased by a professor at Chaffee College. He resold it in 1977 to one of his students, who has kept it to this day and has chosen to remain anonymous.
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.