An original Apple-1 computer, believed to be completely unique, is currently up for auction online with CharityBuzz.
The vintage computer board has been described as "not just a piece of history, but a piece of art", and is expected to sell for up to $1 million.
The first Apple-1 computers were hand-built by company founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, in the garage of Jobs’ family home in Paolo Aalto, California.
Today around 50 examples of the groundbreaking home computer are believed to have survived. Several have sold in recent years for six-figure sums, with the current auction record standing at $905,000 – but they all originated from the production run of 200 hand-built examples which were sold to the public.
The computer offered through CharityBuzz – known as the ‘Celebration’ Apple-1 – features completely different sockets and components to those computers, and is believed to have been created in July or August 1976.
It’s believed the computer is in fact an earlier experimental board, used by the pair to work out issues before they went into full production.
According to Apple co-founder Wozniak: "No known PCB boards of this type were ever sold to the public. At this time, this is the only known Apple-1 to show the signs of starting out as a blank original-run board and not part of the two known production runs, so this board appears to be unique from all other known Apple-1 boards."
Although not in working order, the ‘Celebration’ Apple comes complete with its period correct power supply, an original Apple-1 ACI cassette, early Apple-1 BASIC cassettes, original marketing material, and the most complete documentation set of any Apple-1 computer.
The opportunity to own an original Apple-1 is a dream for many collectors, but the chance to acquire a completely unique and historically important example is unheard of until now.
Bidding in the sale is now open, and ends on August 25.
