A remarkably rare and fully operational Apple computer recently fetched $1.15 million at auction, setting a record for the price of a commercially released Apple-1 model.
This particular Apple-1, the pioneer product of the now-iconic tech company from Silicon Valley, ignited a fierce 28-minute bidding contest between two individuals.
Ian Ehling, an executive at Bonhams, the international auction house that hosted the sale, expressed delight at the outcome, remarking on the importance of the “Hatfield” Apple-1 in computing history. He noted that it was a privilege to sell Apple’s inaugural product during the company’s 50th anniversary year.
This specific Apple-1 model is unique, featuring the signature of co-founder Steve Wozniak on its motherboard and is still operational. Wozniak personally developed the Apple-1 in 1976, while his partner, Steve Jobs, handled its marketing.
The auction included a letter from Jobs, dated 1978, addressed to the original owner, Fred Hatfield, and offering a trade-in deal for the new Apple II. Other items included the original operations manual, a typed invitation to join the “Apple I Owners Club,” and several hardware components.
According to Bonhams, this Apple-1 is cataloged as No. 48 in the Apple-1 Registry, which archives fewer than 75 surviving verified Apple-1 computers.
This sold unit exemplifies the humble beginnings of a company that only last year reached a $4 trillion market value, driven largely by strong demand for its innovative iPhone models that have changed both the tech landscape and everyday life.
Jobs and Wozniak first crossed paths in the 1970s via a mutual friend. They often went to meetings at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, discussing the then-nascent concept of personal computing. With proceeds from selling Jobs’ Volkswagen, they started building computers in his parents’ garage.
Eventually, they developed the Apple-1, which led to an order for 50 units from Byte Shop, one of the first computer retailers, after the owner saw their prototype.
Wozniak, later reflecting on the creation of the Apple-1, recounted an experience from his memoir, iWoz, where he described an early moment of amazement. He recalled typing a few keys and witnessing text appear on the screen—a historic first in many ways.
