There has always been a small but dedicated market for vintage computers, with classic systems such as the Altair 8800 or the original Apple I going for thousands of dollars. The Apple II might be one of the more influential machines ever built, but it was fairly common and remains easy to find on eBay, with systems going for around $200 or less (a far cry from its original $1,200-plus price).
That said, there's one particular Apple II that collectors may be interested in, and that's the Apple II that served as the Swan Station computer on the cult TV series "Lost." The system and its monitor are going up for auction, along with many other "Lost" props, August 21-22 in Santa Monica, Calif. The system up for auction is described as follows:
This configuration is an Apple-II Plus system running an Apple-III monitor, with a Disk II floppy drive, each featuring a DHARMA logo. This prop computer was used at the Swan station and by Desmond, Locke, and other cast members to enter "The Numbers" every 108 minutes.
Profiles in History, a well-known movie and memorabilia dealer, is running the auction, and estimates the "Lost" Apple II will go for $1,000-$1,500. If you can't make it to the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica (also the site of 2007's E3 video game trade show), bids are also being accepted via mail, phone, fax, or Internet, with details available at the auction site.
There's no indication that the system is in actual working order, but one could probably say that about most of the 5-6 million Apple II systems that were sold in the '70s and early '80s. It may be a little early to start working on a holiday wish list, but this would sure look swell in our PC-testing lab.