A fully operational early Apple-1 computer, known as the “Hatfield” unit and signed on its motherboard by Steve Wozniak, is set to tour the United States before being auctioned later this year. The lot also includes a rare letter penned by Steve Jobs, putting the estimated sale price between $500,000 and $800,000.
What Makes the Hatfield Apple-1 Special
The “Hatfield” Apple-1 gained its name from its first owner, Fred Hatfield, who originally purchased it from Apple in 1976. What elevates this example beyond others is the combination of Wozniak’s signature on the motherboard and an accompanying letter from Steve Jobs. In the letter, Jobs addressed Hatfield’s complaint that there was limited software available for the Apple-1 and offered him a discount on an Apple II 4K expansion board—an offer Hatfield never took.
This estate of provenance is rare: operational Apple-1 units are exceedingly few, and ones with extra documentation and signatures are even scarcer. Earlier this year, in July 2026, another working Apple-1 sold for nearly $500,000—far exceeding its $300,000 pre-sale estimate—and Bonhams is using that sale as a benchmark for the Hatfield machine’s price range. The letter from Jobs includes figures that provide historical context: the Apple II board originally retailed for $598, or about $3,060 in today’s dollars; the discounted offer to Hatfield was $2,050 in that same historical currency.
Tour Schedule and Auction Details
The Apple-1 will be exhibited to the public in several American cities in September ahead of the auction, currently scheduled for October 4–14, 2026. It begins in Los Angeles (September 9–11), heads to Boston (September 21–23), and wraps up in San Francisco (September 30–October 1). The sale will be held both online and in New York as part of Bonhams’ sale titled “History of Science, Technology & Computing.”
The auction will also feature other rare items: an Apple Paladin prototype (a hybrid combining computer, scanner, and phone) and an Apple Lisa, among others.
When presented with the unusual combination of live operation, dual signatures from Apple founders, and a letter offering historical exchange details, it’s clear why collectors and historians alike are watching this sale closely. The Hatfield Apple-1 represents not just early computing hardware, but a tangible link to the company’s origin stories.
Why It Matters
This sale highlights growing interest in tangible artifacts from computing’s earliest days, especially those bearing personal traces of iconic figures like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. It offers both financial value and cultural significance—collectors aren’t just bidding on hardware, but on key moments in tech history. What to watch: whether the Hatfield Apple-1 breaks the $800,000 estimate, how its sale compares to similar landmark auctions, and whether demand for signed, documented early computing gear continues to grow.
