Apple-1 computer owned by Steve Jobs is up for auction, could fetch over Rs 40 Lakh

A prototype for the Apple-1 computer, which was the original desktop computer, is currently up for auction. You might wonder what is so special about this. Well, Apple's Co-founder Steve Jobs owned it and used it to demo the Apple-1 computer's capabilities back in 1976. It is believed that the current owner of this prototype could get over $5,00,000, which is around Rs 40 Lakhs in India when converted.

It is being held at RR Auction house and interestingly, the early bidders have already reached past $2,00,000. The auction is not over yet and will continue until August 18. This Apple-1 device is one of just 200 that Steve Jobs designed in partnership with Steve Wozniak, Patty Jobs, and Daniel Kottke in the Jobs' Los Altos home.

The auction house is saying that this prototype was left on "Apple Garage" property for several years and it was later given to a person approximately 30 years ago by Steve Jobs itself. RR Auction house reported that the device is not in the best condition and some of the components were removed by Steve Jobs for other Apple-1 computers.

"The missing piece is presumed to have been discarded, but can be reimagined thanks to Paul Terrell's photographs of the complete board. One of the distinguishing features of the "Apple Computer A" prototype was its use of three orange Sprague Atom capacitors, rather than the familiar 'Big Blue' capacitors used on the production Apple Computer 1," the auction house reported.

This is not the first time that the Apple 1 computer has been in the news for auction. One of the Apple-1 computers owned by a New York house got sold for $905,000 in 2014. It was reportedly one of 50 units that were sold to the ByteShop in California by Steve Jobs. It remains to be seen how much RR Auction house will gain as experts believe it will at least fetch over $5,00,000 during the sale event.

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