Rare Apple-1 With Steve Jobs Letter Sells for $1.15 Million

A rare and fully operational Apple-1 computer was sold for one million one hundred fifty thousand dollars at auction. This sale set a world record for a commercially released Apple-1 version of the machine, the very first Apple-1 that started Apple’s journey.

The sale came after a 28-minute bidding fight between two collectors. The computer, called the “Hatfield” Apple-1 was auctioned off during Apple’s anniversary year. That added another moment to the story of one of the world’s most valuable tech companies.

We are very happy with this result for the ‘Hatfield’ Apple-1, one of the most important moments in the history of computers. It was a privilege to sell Apple’s first product during the company’s 50th anniversary year, ” said Ian Ehling, a director at the international auction house Bonhams.

Why the Hatfield Apple-1 is so special

Listed as No. 48 In the Apple-1 Registry the computer is one of more than 75 verified Apple-1 units that are believed to still exist today. Its excellent condition and the presence of documents made it especially valuable to collectors.

The motherboard remains fully functional. Carries the signature of Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder who designed and hand-built the motherboard hardware in 1976.

The auction lot also included a letter signed by Steve Jobs in 1978. The letter was addressed to the computer’s owner, Fred Hatfield. Steve Jobs offered Fred Hatfield the chance to trade in his Apple-1 for the Apple II.

Alongside the computer and the letter there were the operations manual, a typed invitation to join the Apple I Owners Club and several original hardware components. The Apple I Owners Club invitation felt special.

From a garage to Apple

The record-breaking auction gives us a look at how Apple started. Jobs and Wozniak began working in the 1970s after a mutual friend introduced them. They often attended the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California. That club was a gathering place for people who were excited about computing and wanted to share ideas.

To help finance manufacturing efforts Jobs sold his Volkswagen van. After that the pair assembled circuit boards in the garage of Jobs’ parents.

Apple-1’s first major commercial breakthrough happened when the Byte Shop, a personal computer retailer located in Mountain View ordered fifty Apple-1 units. Each Apple-1 cost five hundred dollars. That order was placed after the Byte Shop saw a working prototype of Apple-1.

The moment that changed computing

In his memoir ‘iWoz’ Wozniak recalled the moment the Apple-1’s architecture came together on June 29 1975: “Wozniak typed a key on the keyboard and Wozniak was shocked! Wozniak did not realize Apple-1 at the time. That day Sunday June 29 1975 was pivotal. Apple-1 was the time; in history anyone had typed a character on a keyboard and seen Apple-1 show up on the screen right in front of them.”