Apple-1 market

Auction in March 2024

Wonderful Apple-1 (#100 in the Apple-1 Registry) is up for auction online at RR Auction. Ending 22nd March 2024.

Marketplace

Apple-1 computers and accessories occasionally change hands at auctions, in private deals, or by donation. In the early years of Apple, some Apple-1s were given as gifts by Steve Jobs to certain employees.
In a few years, the Apple-1 market will dry up. More and more Apple-1s are bequeathed or donated to museums. Some are bought by museums or companies.

Apple-1 value

Because of many inquiries about the value of an Apple-1, here is a short evaluation. Prices for vintage computers will rise, no doubt. For the same reasons as art: they have historical and collector’s value, the number is limited, and declining.

Apple-1s of the first batch are older (of course) and some have a serial number handwritten by Steve Jobs.
Many times, after auctions with lower than expected results, too hasty conclusions are drawn everywhere.
Like “it was a bad Apple-1.” But no ‘bad’ Apple-1 exists; each is unique and valuable. Like “the Steve Jobs hype is over.” Steve Jobs’ death had an influence, but it was more a wake-up call to recognize the high value of rare and unique vintage computers.
Often, other factors play a role. Sometimes the real reasons are known to the curator of the Apple-1 Registry but are confidential. Mostly, it has nothing to do with the Apple-1 itself. Not everyone is looking for an Apple-1 that was cleaned and/or modified to make it look better.

How to buy an Apple-1?

Just read the 'guide to sell' an Apple-1. This guide also contains all the necessary and helpful information for buyers. Watch out for auctions. Sometimes auctions are not easy to find. You may create an account at auction houses listed here on this page and try to get informed if any Apple-1 shows up.
You may use automatic notifications from Google by using 'Google Alerts'.
For private deals, you could ask us. Apple-1 has already been successfully brokered in private deals.

Be aware of the import sales tax!

If you buy from an auction house or privately and live in another country, you usually have to pay import sales tax. This is generally the case in all countries of the European Union. Germany, for example, has a 19% import sales tax, which also applies to vintage computers.

Example: An Apple-1 is purchased in the US for US$500,000, including the premium (the commission that auction houses generally charge). The auction house ships to Germany. Customs always requires proof of purchase and payment. A 19% import sales tax is then payable. In this example, US$95,000 = US$595,000 total cost.

A guide to sell an Apple-1? Auction houses vs private sale vs donation

The question of selling an Apple-1 is asked repeatedly. Here is a guide and some information. All possibilities have pros and cons. Think globally. Buyers are scattered around the world. The main problem is letting potential buyers know that an Apple-1 is up for sale. More bidders mean more competition, and the pressure on any bidder is high because an Apple-1 is extremely rare.

Auction houses

Auction houses attract many bidders. A well-known auction house, and those who have already sold Apple-1s and/or vintage computers, can help a lot. The popularity and public interest are the big advantages of selling through an auction house. And you have more or less nothing to do with the sale. Often the media report intensively on auctions. Auction houses occasionally go on the offensive here and advertise auctions. If there is broad and, above all, worldwide coverage, the chance of finding several interested parties increases exponentially.

If there is too little or too short notice, only a few potential bidders may hear about the auction. This may lead to fewer bids. There have been auctions announced months in advance, but unfortunately also those announced only a few days before the auction.

In any auction, it is naturally important that there is not only one bidder with strong purchasing power. Only bidders who outbid each other lead to high results. Enough examples are known where the buyer would have paid double the price, but there were no competing bidders willing to match.

The seller can set a starting price and a reserve (minimum bid). A reserve may scare away bidders because the amount is usually unknown. On the other hand, it is a protection. If the seller needs the money, a reserve may mean that you have to start an auction again. Fewer people may then bid on a computer that did not achieve the reserve once before. The press and populist bloggers are then at work.

In an auction, everything has to work. If there are technical problems during the auction or if a bidder has problems with the internet (many bidders bid online) or the auction house's website fails at the time of the auction, the result will be lower.

An Apple-1 can be advertised with a few lines of text and a few pictures or elaborately with a lot of information and many pictures. Depending on the potential buyers, this can make an enormous difference.
The contract concluded between the seller and the auction house should be checked carefully. The same goes for the auction text. Here there have been outstanding as well as embarrassing and faulty examples. The seller should do the final check and at least ask an expert to review the text. It would be fatal, embarrassing, and scare away bidders if, for example, it says (as happened) that Steve Jobs designed, built, and hand-soldered the Apple-1 in his garage.

The seller should think carefully about how much emphasis is placed on superlatives in the description. The best, rarest, best of all eventually becomes tiring to read for bidders.

Costs of an auction: In an auction, a premium (auction fee) is payable by the buyer. Usually between 25% and 30%. The seller also pays a commission to the auction house. Usually between 5% and 20%, and in some cases, it is waived.
A condition report or appraisal from an expert usually costs five figures. You are lucky if someone with a good reputation writes it for less or free. If repairs or other work are necessary, the costs quickly become high. The buyer usually pays the costs of any condition report/appraisal, repairs, and reconditioning. However, there have been cases where the auction house has covered the costs.
The auction house eBay has a different price structure. Here, the buyer pays no fee, but the seller does. According to sellers of Apple-1, 2-5%.

Whether eBay will attract as many potential buyers as traditional auction houses is unpredictable. A certain clientele will certainly have their eye on the auction catalogues of the old-established auction houses. On the other hand, eBay gets a lot of publicity from unusual auctions.

Other services provided by the auction house may also be charged to the buyer. E.g. better advertising in the auction catalogue, highlighting on websites, booked TV time, and other advertising.
If you want forensic examinations of the handwritten serial number on the back of the Apple-1 of the 1st batch, five-digit costs are to be expected. These are paid by the seller or, if applicable, the auction house.

Keep in mind the costs to deliver the Apple-1 to the auction house. Maybe they will pick it up, maybe not. You will not ship it without insurance, and only a few companies handle such high values. The buyer has the same problem. Shipping from the auction house is expensive. To deliver and pick up the Apple-1 is an option.

Don't forget the sales tax (if there is any for you). And the buyer may have to pay import tax.

Private sale

In a private sale, there are no auction fees and no (or low) commission for a mediator (if there is any). Seller and buyer pay no premium (auction fee). If the seller does not find a buyer himself, intermediaries are an opportunity. A mediator takes no or a small brokerage fee.
Either way, the problem is to find a buyer who will pay the desired selling price. In contrast to an auction house, the media echo is low. If you want to be anonymous, you need a mediator. You or the mediator must have a good reputation. Either the sale happens through a mediator, contacts, advertising on social media, on websites, or through the press.

In contrast to a sale via an auction house, it can take a long time or never work.

At an auction, with a little luck, there is fierce competition between two bidders and the result can be far above expectations. But this is purely a matter of luck. In a private sale, this lucky coincidence would only exist if two parties absolutely wanted to be the winner here as well.

If you want forensic examinations of the handwritten serial number on the back of the Apple-1 of the 1st batch, five-digit costs are to be expected. These are paid by the seller. An appraisal of the computer itself costs the same as at auction. An appraisal is often not necessary for private sales.

Donation

A donation is a noble cause. Unless the owner of an Apple-1 needs the money from a potential sale or wants to donate for other reasons, there are many museums that would be happy to own an Apple-1. There is only one catch, which should definitely be taken into account. The donor usually wants to see the Apple-1 in an exhibition, and that is the problem. A museum often needs preparation time to even take in an object and exhibit it. This can be quick, or it can take years. Most objects end up in storage, and only a fraction can be exhibited. An Apple-1 is rare, but there is absolutely no guarantee that the computer will actually be exhibited permanently or even occasionally.
There are Apple-1s that have been donated to museums but are now in a box in a warehouse. If necessary, it can be contractually agreed with the museum that the computer will actually be permanently accessible in the exhibition.
Of course, a donation to an association is also conceivable. Here, too, the question remains as to who will be granted access to the computer and whether this will be permanent. Once donated, an association can also sell the computer at some point or make it accessible to only a few people.

Personal Experience (by Achim Baqué, Caretaker of the Apple-1 Registry)
Over the years I have had many conversations with owners of historically significant computers, especially the Apple-1, about what should happen to these rare machines in the future. Many consider donating them, most often to museums. However, there are several important factors to consider before making such a decision. The insights and recommendations above are based on these discussions and on my personal experience.

For example, I know someone who donated an Apple-1 to a well known and highly respected museum in the United States. The computer was displayed for about a week and has since been stored in a box in a warehouse. I once loaned an Apple-1 to a museum in Germany. Without a specific contractual clause requiring the computer to be on display, it would have been put straight into storage.

It is also important to be aware of individuals who present themselves as collectors or claim they are planning to open a museum. Unfortunately I have learned the hard way that not all of these self proclaimed enthusiasts are genuine. Some are only looking to acquire valuable computers at little or no cost, with the intention of reselling them later, either individually or as a set, to other buyers.

There is no clear guide to identifying such people. Personally I try to find out whether a supposed collector has a history of selling computers under their real name or a pseudonym, and whether they have been active in the community for a long time. These are not hard proof, but they can be warning signs.

If you are considering an auction instead, I have also gathered a great deal of useful information and advice. Please see the section 'Auction houses' above for details.

Who are potential buyers?

Collectors, enthusiasts, museums, and investors. Among the collectors, there are private and institutional ones. If the sale price is the main concern, it is not important for the seller who gets the computer. If there are emotional factors, only a private sale can guarantee the buyer what he/she expects. Of course, this is only the case if the buyer does not later resell the computer himself.
There are some cases where an Apple-1 was bought and only a short time later resold in an auction.

Conclusion

Beware, on paper a private sale looks great. But the challenge is to find a buyer. For many owners of an Apple-1, it might be easier and better to go to an auction house. But keep an eye on the costs.
To put it simply, with an auction house there is only negotiation with the auction house, after which you put the Apple-1 on the counter and hope for a good sale. With a private sale, you have to talk to buyers and negotiate or use a mediator.

Auction houses

Here is a list of auction houses known to have sold at least two Apple-1 (in alphabetical order):
Auction Team Breker (Germany)
Bonhams (UK, USA, HKG)
CharityBuzz (UK, USA etc.)
Christie’s (UK, USA)
eBay (online)
RR Auction (USA)

For private deals you may contact the Apple-1 Registry.

Advice for everyone interested in buying an Apple-1 at auction

Obviously, the provenance of an Apple-1 is important. Ask for a written report. Try to get information on whether parts were recently replaced with date-correct parts or maybe “near correct” parts were added to make it look better. Sometimes the first owner modified an Apple-1. Most Apple-1s were modified just to make them usable as computers for computer enthusiasts. If those modifications are replaced by other modifications just for auction to make it look better or more “original,” then it is up to the buyer’s preference.
Auctions are business, and everyone is looking for the best result. Make sure you try to get all available information beforehand. If available, compare old pictures and pictures from previous auctions to see differences. Look at the Apple-1 Registry to see the history of an Apple-1.

Mediation of a private deal. Unofficial and confidential sale / purchase

An absolutely confidential list will be held at the Apple-1 Registry. Sellers and buyers can contact the Apple-1 Registry. Sellers can describe everything and send it by e-mail to the Apple-1 Registry. As soon as a prospective buyer contacts the Apple-1 Registry, the seller gets the contact information. Everything else is up to the seller. The buyer will never get any information about the seller from the Apple-1 Registry.

Official and public offer
After sending information to the Apple-1 Registry by e-mail, we can publish your offer on this website. You can still remain anonymous. Any e-mail from a potential buyer will be forwarded.
Only original Apple-1s and original accessories, manuals, advertisements, and related items may be offered.

Before you contact the Apple-1 Registry

Information needed from seller
E-mail address (confidential), what you have on offer, and include some pictures. You can also add an asking price.

Information needed from buyer
Price range, contact details including full name, e-mail address, phone number, and proof that this is a serious request.

If you need an NDA, click here.

Any e-mail that seems to be fake will be ignored.

We appreciate your help:
Please spread the word about the Apple-1 Registry by adding a link to your social media account and/or website. Contact us if you have new information about any Apple-1 or Apple-1 (parts) for sale.

You can link to the Apple-1 Registry. Any form of reprint or reproduction (including excerpts) only with written permission of the Apple-1 Registry. Here you will find press releases and images free to use under CC BY-SA 4.0.