Apple-1 prototype sold at auction for almost $700,000 – IT Pro – .Geeks

A rare Apple-1 prototype was auctioned Thursday for nearly $700,000. The prototype was used in 1976 by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs to demonstrate the Apple-1. Who bought it is unknown.

The printed circuit board has the description “Apple Computer A”. According to RR Auction House The board is hand-welded by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Jobs used the prototype to show the Apple-1 to Paul Terrell, owner of the Byte store in Mountain View, California. Byte was one of the first personal computer stores in the world.

The demonstration earned Jobs and Wozniak their first major ranking. Initially, the founders of Apple wanted to sell the Apple-1 as a set for $40. However, Terrell suggested selling the Apple-1 as a fully assembled PC for $666.66.

The prototype sat at Apple Garage for many years before Jobs introduced it to the vendor nearly 30 years ago. To verify authenticity, the prototype was compared with Polaroid photos of the device from the 1970s. As researched by Apple-1 expert Cory Cohen, who prepared a thirteen-page report for the auction, He writes for the Associated Press.

Despite the damage the prototype has suffered over the years, it was auctioned for $677,196. Few details are known about the buyer, other than that he hails from the San Francisco Bay Area.