Original Apple I on Ebay for $50K, w/Letter from Steve Jobs

November 20th, 2009 at 6:15 PM - News by Bryan Chaffin

Jesse Sackman is selling his Apple I, the first computer designed by Steve Wozniak and sold by Steve Jobs under the then-new company, Apple Computer. Mr. Sackman has listed his Apple I on Ebay, complete with original packaging and invoice (signed by "Steven"), and a letter signed by Steve Jobs relating to a question about how to hook up a keyboard and monitor.

"Any Apple 1 is rare but this unit has impeccable provenance and is so clean...it literally may be the best surviving Apple 1," Mr. Sackman wrote on his Ebay listing.

The auction includes the following items:

• The original invoice for the sale, dated December 7, 1976. The sales person, Steven, is presumed to be Steve Jobs.
• A letter, typed on plain notebook paper and signed by Steven Jobs. Though undated, the letter refers to sending the buyer a dealer application in January or February, 1977.
• The original packaging in which the computer shipped, with a return address of Steve Jobs' parents address at the time.
• Photographs of every owner of this unit. The original owner was photographed holding the computer, the next owner did the same and the current owner took his picture with both the system and with Steve Wozniak.

The starting bid on the auction is US$50,000, and as of this writing there are no bids. The sale ends Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 5:57 PST.

A couple of notes: It was the Detroit Free Press that found Mr. Sackman's name, and the auction is listed as "Apple 1," as opposed to Apple I, for those searching for it.

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Loose TMO Translation: "Dear Bozo...."

The Apple I circuit board in all its mid-1970's glory.