Wow, imagine holding a piece of history in your hands – a handwritten note by none other than Steve Jobs himself! This incredible note just fetched a whopping $175,759 at an auction. Let me take you back to where the magic happened.
The note is written on a yellow piece of paper and is a draft of an ad for the 1976 Apple-1 computer, the one that started it all. Although it’s not dated, the note outlines the specifications for the Apple-1, which was still in the works. Back then, Steve Jobs had this vision of using different chips, like the Motorola 6800 and the MOS 6501 and 6502. He even jotted down ‘6501, 6502 recommended because we have basic,’ which was probably a nod to the BASIC interpreter for running programs.
What’s truly fascinating is that Steve Jobs mentioned a price point on this note – just $75 for the ‘board only + manual.’ Can you believe that? This is the same computer that eventually sold for $666 when it was more fully assembled. The note gives us a glimpse into Jobs’ perspective on what he thought was a ‘real deal.’
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At the bottom of the note, you’ll find Steve Jobs’ name along with his phone number and his parents’ address in Los Altos, California. This was where the journey of Apple began. This note might have even laid the foundation for an advertisement that Apple published later on in Interface Magazine to promote the Apple-1 computer.
Now, brace yourself for a cool twist. This handwritten note was actually auctioned before, back in 2018. Can you believe it was initially expected to fetch between $40,000 to $60,000? But look at where it ended up – selling for an astonishing $175,759 this time around. And that’s not all – the note came with two Polaroid photos. These snapshots were taken at The Byte Shop, the very place where the first Apple-1 was sold. You can actually see a working prototype of this legendary computer in those photos.
Here’s a neat little backstory: The note was originally acquired by an unnamed childhood friend of Steve Jobs. This friend got the note during a visit to Jobs back in 1976. Along with the note, Steve gave them a Polaroid photo of the computer and even a handwritten offer of bare boards for $75 each. Talk about a treasure trove of memories!
And if you think this is all, well, there’s more. This auction also featured other historic Apple items. One of them was a signed check from both Steve Jobs and Apple co-founder Wozniak, which sold for an impressive $135,261.
It’s amazing how a simple piece of paper can hold so much history and insight into the birth of one of the world’s most iconic companies. The legacy of Steve Jobs and Apple truly lives on!
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