It's not uncommon to see old Apple products resurface for auction, nor is it rare for them to sell for more than the original RRP. But it isn't every day that we see an original, fully functioning Apple I (or Apple 1) up for grabs – and if a current eBay listing is successful, it'll have fetched a whopping 2,250 times the original asking price.
Yep, for just $1.5M, you can own the very first Apple computer. And while it might not be a patch on our best laptops for graphic design in terms of raw power, the Apple I is one of few computers that, in the words of Indiana Jones, belongs in a museum. Which is exactly where you'll find the five other identical models known to exist.
The machine appears to be in remarkable condition (Image credit: krishmiti on eBay)
Released in April 1976, the Apple I was hand-built by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak while the company was still operating out of Steve Jobs' garage. The unit up for grabs is housed in a Byte Shop KOA wood case, making it extra-rare – only six models featuring this particular wood case still exist, and the seller claims theirs to be "in the best-known condition of any of those cases".
As well as the Apple I itself, the listing includes the period Sony TV-115 monitor that was, according to the seller, "recommended by Steve Jobs". The seller claims to have taken possession of the machine in 1978 "as part of a trade-in for a newer Apple II computer," (probably a better deal now than it was 43 years ago).
While we're excited to find out whether rumours regarding the new iMac and new MacBook Pro become a reality, we'll always have room for a little nostalgia – especially when it features Apple's original rainbow logo (the company's branding wasn't always the sleek, silvery-grey affair it is today, you know).
Of course, this is rather lot to splash on a piece of Apple history. But hey, if you've got a spare £1.5M hiding behind the sofa, you do you – the value is only likely to increase over time. And for our money, it's much sounder investment than the horrendous Apple I-themed iPhone 12 mod that emerged last year.
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Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
