Original Apple 1 Computer to be sold at Auction

Computers have come a long way over the past couple of decades and now most mobile phones have more computing power than the technology used to send Apollo 11 to the Moon. A pleasant reminder of the humble origins of today’s supercomputers, comes courtesy of German auction house Breker, which is selling one of few original Apple computers that’s in working order.

Apple 1 was the first ready-made personal computer created by Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. Although the user still had to provide the keyboard and monitor, it still resembled the computers we’ve become used to today, rather than the huge machines covered in flashing lights and switches.

Only 200 Apple 1 computers were produced and just 43 have survived and of those only six are in working order, according to the Apple 1 Registry by Mike Willegal. In June 2012 one sold for a record $374,500 in New York and now Breker is selling another of the last six on 24th November. You can actually watch a demo of the Apple 1 being sold by Breker over on YouTube.

The Cologne-based auctioneer has been holding record-breaking sales of science and technology items for 25 years and, according to founder Uwe Breker, this is the first fully working Apple 1 offered for sale in Europe and the only example with the original period peripherals. Do you remember using one of these classic computers? Let us know because we’d be fascinated to hear from you.