CoM Exclusive: Apple 1 eBay Seller Speaks

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The original manual comes with the Apple 1.
The original manual comes with the Apple 1 up for auction on eBay.

There’s another Apple 1 on the eBay auction block, this one comes with enough collateral to stand as its own museum exhibit.

The starting bid is $50,000, the auction is on for another two days.

The owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told us how this Apple artifact got there.

CoM: How did you get your hands on an Apple 1?

Anonymous Owner: I came to own the Apple 1 through a very convoluted story, but in short I found a guy in Minnesota who bought it from the original owner in 1990 and, eventually, he sold it to me.

CoM: What made you decide to sell it?

AO: It is killing me to sell it but I’m on very hard times and I’ve sold everything else of value. I want to keep this magnificent piece of history forever. There is no price I would willingly put on this item…but I have kids and of course that takes priority.

CoM: How did you decide the price?

AO: I set the opening price because a) an Apple 1 has sold for as much as $43k and b) if I have to sell my most prized possession and I sold it for an inadequate amount I’d have to take my life.
So, really, the price is all about saving lives. lol.

CoM: In the selling info, you say that Woz looked at it and said that it probably wouldn’t boot because the first batches of Apple 1s used a brand of chip they later replaced because they blew out easily.

How did you meet Woz?


AO: I met Woz specifically to show him this item. He was very nice, as you’d imagine.

CoM: If you could choose a buyer, where would you like to see it go?

AO: Of course a museum is a good, safe place for it to go, but I’d love it if someone who is as passionate about it as me, someone who will protect it and treasure it for the relic it is, buys it.

I want someone who wouldn’t even consider paying the $3,000 shipping fee and risk losing it. (In other words, come to the Sacramento area to pick it up).

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