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Rare Apple computer from 1976 to be auctioned

By Ted Schwerzler

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Before the Mac desktop computer and the MacBook laptop, Apple had a much simpler beginning. As witnessed in Ashton Kutcher’s rendition of Steve Jobs’ life in the recent film, Jobs, the Apple 1 paved the way for what Apple has become today. Now a rare piece of technological history is set to go on auction.

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In 1976, the Apple 1 retailed for $666.66 and is now expected to command over $400,000 at auction. In a History of Science auction, Bonhams New York is set to unveil the piece. The Apple 1 motherboard is believed to be one of the 50 original motherboards that Steve Wozniak put together in Steve Jobs family garage.

As shown in the Jobs film, the motherboards were being assembled for Byte Shop owner Paul Terrell.

The Apple 1 only had about 200 units created, and of those, only 63 have been reported to an official Apple 1 registry. Of those 63, only 15 are still working, as the one going up for auction is.

At this point, Bonham’s is asking for between $300,000 and $500,000 for the Apple 1 motherboard. Recently an Apple 1 motherboard sold in London for $210,000 at auction.

On top of the Apple 1 motherboard, there is also a handful of other Apple pieces and rare technological advancements that will make their debut as part of Bonhams auction.

While the $400,000 price tag is well out of reach for many, the history tied to this piece of technology is absolutely astounding. Considering what the Apple 1 did not only for the company, but for the computer world as a whole, it truly is a marvel.

Having seen, and been overly impressed with the Jobs movie myself, it is neat to see a piece of the film come to life. Imaging the time that was spent handcrafting this exact motherboard prior to computers and robotic technology being implemented.

Steve Jobs would be proud.

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