Home / Technology / Woz-Signed Apple I Smashes Record: $1.1M Sale!
Woz-Signed Apple I Smashes Record: $1.1M Sale!
15 Oct
Summary
- A rare, Wozniak-signed Apple I computer sold for $1,148,200.
- Only 74 verified Apple I models remain, with this one being functional.
- Steve Jobs' personal upgrade offer letter to the original owner adds value.
The legendary Apple I computer, famously signed by Steve Wozniak, has sold for a record-shattering $1,148,200. Auction house Bonhams announced the sale of this significant piece of computing history to an anonymous buyer. The machine, built in 1976 and originally costing $666.60, is identified as number 48 on the registry of just 74 verified Apple I models still in existence, with this particular unit being in working order.
This specific Apple I holds unique appeal due to a letter from Steve Jobs encouraging its original owner, Fred Hatfield, to send in the motherboard for an upgrade to the newer Apple II model. Hatfield, however, declined the offer and eventually sold the machine for $40,000, a sum he famously used for personal enjoyment.
Along with Wozniak's signature and Jobs' letter, the sale included the original operation manual, a cassette manual, an invitation to the Apple I Owners Club, and period-appropriate accessories like a monitor and keyboards. The last auction appearance for this machine in 2013 yielded $671,400, highlighting a substantial increase in its market value over the past decade.
