A rare working Apple-1 computer has been sold for the “bargain” price of $365,000 at auction in New York. The computer, sold on Thursday, was expected to bring more, with initial estimates placing its value as high as $600,000.
In 1999, the machine auctioned off today was purchased by Bruce Waldack, an entrepreneur who had funds after selling his company, DigitalNation. Following his death in 2007, the Apple-1 went on to be auctioned at a storage facility in Virginia, where Robert Luther purchased it, along with the original buyer’s canceled check from 1976.
The auctioned Apple-1 also included a canceled check that was made out to Apple Computer, labeled “Purchased July 1976 from Steve Jobs in his parents’ garage in Los Altos.” A second check is made out for $193 with the note: “Software NA Programmed by Steve Jobs August 1976.”
The Apple-1 was tested before auction to ensure it was fully operational, and was tested to load Microsoft BASIC, as well as an original Apple-1 Star Trek game.
Less than 50 Apple-1 computers are believed to be still around today, out of the few hundred that were originally constructed by the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak.
