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Working Apple-1 computer could sell for price of a supercar

One of the first personal computers created and sold by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak is up and running and ready for your bid.

Eric Mack Contributing Editor
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
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Eric Mack
2 min read
apple1

This working Apple-1 system is expected to sell at auction for over $300,000.

RR Auction

Another rare original Apple computer is hitting the auction block and while its hardware isn't a marvel of speed by today's standards, it's still expected to fetch about as much as the going price for a snazzy new supercar. 

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak produced about 200 Apple-1 computers in the mid-1970s and around 60 of those are known to still exist today. Every so often one pops up at auction and manages to sell for a price that could easily purchase a home in most locations.

RR Auctions is preparing to take bids on a functioning, late "Byte Shop"-style Apple-1 model, with the expectation that it will go for more than $300,000 (about £233,553, AU$409.500). That's about the same you can expect to pay for the speedy and sexy 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, among many, many other awesome things.

The Byte Shop Apple-1 comes from a batch of 50 computers made by Jobs and Wozniak specifically for the Byte Shop in Mountain View, California, one of the first personal computer stores in the world. 

The auction lot comes with not just the motherboard, but also the original manual and a period-style monitor and keyboard to fire it up and show off to anyone who wants to see how powerful an Apple computer was in 1976. 

If it's a little too rich for your blood, the same auction also includes plenty of other early Apple goodies, such as a 1982 Apple report with a personal message and signature from Jobs that includes a common misspelling ('your' instead of 'you're'). Another odd bit of Jobs memorabilia up for bid is a program signed by both Jobs and NFL running back Herschel Walker from an event where both were honored. 

Speaking of football, there's also a copy of the iconic "1984" Apple Super Bowl ad that's expected to sell for over $10,000. It does come with a bit of a technological catch, though: you'll need to find an old Betamax player to watch it.

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