Steve Jobs Once Offered $400 to Trade In This Apple-1. Its Owner Said No. Now It Could Fetch $800,000
The fully working “Hatfield” machine includes a 1978 letter signed by the famed entrepreneur.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak with an Apple 1 computer at History San Jose. Photo:
As part of Apple’s 50th anniversary, a signed letter from Steve Jobs and a working Apple-1 “Hatfield” computer signed by Steve Wozniak are about to be put up for auction.
The rare and fully functional “Hatfield” Apple-1 computer will headline the History of Science, Technology, and Computing sale at Bonhams. The auction will run online from October 4 to October 14. The estimated bid for the computer is between $500,000 and $800,000.
The machine was signed by Wozniak, Apple’s co-founder, on the motherboard and is accompanied with a letter signed by Jobs himself, addressed to the computer’s original owner, Fred Hatfield.
This machine is one of approximately 75 verified
This machine is one of approximately 75 verified Apple-1 computers still around today—and one of the only ones that is still functioning.
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The Hatfield’s history
Hatfield purchased the computer during the earliest days at Apple. He was working at Computer Data Systems at the time and was a major computer enthusiast. The Apple-1, which was built in 1976, ushered in a new era of computing with its fully assembled motherboard and integrated video output. These features made the computer more accessible and user-friendly in comparison to other microcomputers that were available at the time.
On January 18, 1978, Jobs sent Hatfield a letter authorizing a trade-in of the Apple-1 and a $400 check in exchange for a new Apple II 4k board. Hatfield ultimately declined the offer and kept the Apple-1, but this correspondence offers a rare glimpse into Apple’s formative years.
One of the founding principles of Apple’s early days was Jobs and Wozniak’s insistence to remain personally involved in every aspect of the business—from product development to customer support.
Source: www.inc.com
