A rare, still-working Apple I Computer from 1976 sold at Sotheby’s auction house on Friday for $374 500 (R3.1 million), or more than 500 times its original retail price.
The computer, one of only a handful in full working condition, had been estimated to sell for about $150 000 at the auctioneer’s sale of books and manuscripts. The Apple computer, built by the company’s founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, included the original cassette interface, operating instructions and Basic computer language user’s manual. But like all Apple I’s, it did not come with a monitor or power supply. Two bidders competed for the machine. An anonymous telephone bidder prevailed for a final cost of almost $375 000 including commission. – Reuters