Rare Apple-1 computer auction takes you back to 1976
You could own a piece of the early days of Apple, but it will cost you.
The Apple-1 up and running with a monitor and keyboard.
The Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service might soon be receiving a charitable windfall. The organization supports amateur radio emergency services around the globe and will be given the proceeds of an auction for a rare Apple-1 computer from when Steve "Woz" Wozniak and Steve Jobs were getting the tech juggernaut started.
Apple-1 helped spark the personal computer revolution. This particular Apple-1 is called "Duston 2" and dates to 1976. It's up for bid with 15 days to run on auction site Charitybuzz.
"Apple Computer 1" appears on the board.
"This Apple-I set includes the original Apple-I board, modified Apple-II keyboard, and modern Stancor power supply mounted on a wooden display board," says Charitybuzz. It also come with some advertisements, a video monitor and a replica Apple Cassette Adapter. And, yes, it works.
The Duston 2, named for a previous owner, is listed as a confirmed machine on the Apple-1 Registry, which tracks the legendary devices. The computer has had some modifications over the years.
CharityBuzz estimates the value of the Apple-1 at $600,000 (about £450,000, AU$780.000). It currently has a starting bid in at $70,000 (£52,000, AU$91,000).
If you're wondering how high the auction might climb, we can look at some previous sales for comparison. An Apple-1 sold for $387,750 in 2013. In 2016, an even rarer prototype version sold for $815,000, shy of an expected $1 million price tag. And in September, another Apple-1 sold for $400,001.
Apple co-founders Wozniak and Jobs created 200 Apple-1s and sold 175 of them. Somewhere between 60 and 70 are known to still exist, making this auction an unusual opportunity for an Apple fan to own an icon from computing history.
