Historic Apple Memorabilia Auction Surpasses $5 Million with Two Iconic Items
In a remarkable event celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary, RR Auction’s Steve Jobs & the Computer Revolution auction concluded with a total of $8,153,074 in sales. Notably, two exceptional items collectively fetched over $5 million, underscoring the enduring allure of Apple’s early history.
Top Auction Highlights:
– Apple Computer Check No. 1 (1976): This inaugural check, signed by co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, realized $2,409,886, including the buyer’s premium. More than a mere financial instrument, this check symbolizes the genesis of Apple as a formal business entity. RR Auction’s executive vice president hailed it as the most significant financial document in Apple’s history, reflecting its profound historical value.
– Apple-1 Prototype Celebration Board (Prototype Board #0): This rare prototype achieved a sale price of $2,750,000, including the buyer’s premium. As a testament to Apple’s innovative spirit, this board represents the company’s early engineering feats and the foundation of its future successes.
Additional Noteworthy Sales:
– March 1976 Wells Fargo Account Statement for Apple Computer Co.: This financial document fetched $828,569, offering insight into Apple’s nascent financial operations.
– Steve Jobs’s Personally Owned 1977 Apple Computer Inc. Poster: This poster, personally owned by Jobs, sold for $659,900, highlighting the personal connection collectors seek with Apple’s visionary leader.
– Steve Jobs’s Personally Owned Apple-1 Byte Shop Wooden Case: This wooden case, associated with the original Apple-1 computers sold at the Byte Shop, garnered $254,375, reflecting the value placed on early Apple hardware.
– Steve Jobs’s Personally Owned Bow Ties: A collection of bow ties owned by Jobs achieved a sale price of $113,580, illustrating the market’s interest in personal artifacts of influential figures.
Market Insights:
This auction underscores the high demand for Apple memorabilia, particularly items with direct ties to the company’s founders and early history. Collectors are willing to invest significantly in artifacts that offer a tangible connection to the origins of one of the world’s most influential technology companies. The provenance and historical significance of these items drive their value, with early financial records and prototype hardware commanding top bids.
