Want to own Apple's original rainbow logo?

Apple's marketing wasn't always the sleek, silvery-grey affair it is today – indeed, there was a time when it burst with colour. And now you can own a rainbow-hued piece of Apple history, as a vintage 1978 retail sign is up for grabs in an online auction ending in two days. All you need to do is make a minimum bid of $20,000. Easy. 

The sign simply features the words 'apple computer' (all lower case) below a giant Apple logo. Whether rainbow-coloured or plain black, Apple's mark is unmistakable. No wonder it's one of our best logos of all time. 

According to Nate D. Sanders Auctions, the sign didn't actually belong to an Apple retail store. It was displayed by an authorised reseller who first learned about Apple after attending a 1976 computer conference. The sign is "yellowed", but those all-important rainbow colours are "bright and in good condition". 

Seeing the rainbow logo again, we can't help but miss the the colourful charm of the old Apple aesthetic. We'd love to see the retro apple make a comeback (and it was rumoured to be happening last year). Also charming are the old apple's imperfect proportions – it appears to have something of a hunchback compared with the current logo, said to be based on perfect circles (below).

We learned a few amazing facts from the Apple logo's original designer Rob Janoff last year. If you think $20,000 is a lot for a retail sign, wait until you hear how much it cost to digitise the apple. Check out our interview here. 

Read more:

• Apple WWDC 2020 moves online (but not for a few months)
• New Apple Pencil could get dramatic redesign
• Apple reveals new iPad Pro (but we're more excited by the Magic Keyboard)