Local Man Selling Original Apple Computer for $50,000

[The Straight Story]

Local Man Selling Original Apple Computer for $50,000

ROSEVILLE, CA- It's been called the Holy Grail of vintage computers and a local man has one for sale.

The original Apple-1 computer, handmade by Apple founder Steve Jobs, was sold in small batches back in 1976.

By today's standards it looks downright primitive.

But Jesse Sackman knows it's also a collectors item and he wants $50,000 dollars for his model on Ebay.

"It's a museum piece and in demand all over the world," said Sackman.
...
The computer even comes with a typed letter from Steve Jobs to the original buyer of the Apple-1 who wanted his money back because it didn't come with a keyboard or monitor. In the letter, Jobs explains to the buyer how to connect it.

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=70629&catid=2

[tridim]

1. I thought Woz built all the original Apple-1's?

[Robb]

4. Not sure. But a funny story:

Waaaaay back, Apple put out a special edition that was signed by Woz. I don't remember the details, but I remember talking to a friend that got one. He said the Apple guy that sold it to him said it was a "mixed bag" of responses to the signed edition -- many people rushed to get them, and he got at least one phone call from someone wanting their money back "...because it's a used computer. Someone already wrote their NAME on it!!" :D

[mikelgb]

2. nice, here is the link to the listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Apple-1-computer-for-sale_W0QQitemZ320451173813QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a9c60ddb5#ht_1590wt_1092

[HopeHoops]

5. It doesn't state whether or not the damn things works!

I doubt he'll get $50K for it.

[The Straight Story]

6. it does say it is clean

:)

[HopeHoops]

9. Running it through a dishwasher will get the same result.

Not recommended, mind you.

[mikelgb]

7. Well he gives rather telling clues:

"This unit has but a single addition, a keyboard port added in a mid-80s attempt to get it to boot up."

and

"btw, When Steve Wozniak saw this unit he told me that the first batches of Apple 1's used a brand of chip they later replaced because they blew out easily. He said those chips were on this unit, which is probably why the unit didn't boot in the mid-80s."

I'd say no.

[Blue_Tires]

11. wow..Jobs did NOT actually type a letter on lined looseleaf paper, did he??

LOL

[HopeHoops]

3. Like the first post - wasn't Woz the builder? And what about the EPROMS?

They had several EPROMS and I doubt those are still functional. If it has been kept in the dark, perhaps it will work. I've got EPROMS on cards in my Apple II+ that worked that last time I tried it (about three years ago). But I've kept it in a box so that may have something to do with it.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. An Apple I reportedly sold for $50,000 at auction in 1999

As of 2008, an estimated 30 to 50 Apple I computers are still known to exist, making it a very rare collector's item. An Apple I reportedly sold for $50,000 at auction in 1999; however, a more typical price for an Apple I is in the $14,000–$16,000 range.



The Apple I, also known as the Apple-1, was an early personal computer. They were designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak.<1><2> Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer. The Apple I was Apple's first product, demonstrated in April 1976 at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California. It went on sale in July 1976 at a price of $666.66<3>, because Wozniak liked repeating digits<4> and because they originally sold it to a local shop for $500 and added a one-third markup.

About 200 units were produced. Unlike other hobbyist computers of its day, which were sold as kits, the Apple I was a fully assembled circuit board containing about 30 chips. However, to make a working computer, users still had to add a case, power supply, keyboard, and display. An optional board providing a cassette interface for storage was later released at a cost of $75.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_I

[NV Whino]

10. Check out theMac documentary

Available for free viewing on your computer from Netflix. I found it interesting.

Welcome to Macintosh: The Documentary for the Rest of Us (2008)