Working Apple-1 Computer, Signed by Wozniak and Accompanied by Jobs Letter, Heads to Bonhams

In its upcoming online auction titled "History of Science, Technology & Computing," Bonhams will present a working Apple-1 computer from October 4 to October 14 in New York. This particular unit, referred to as the "Hatfield" Apple-1 after its first owner Fred Hatfield, is valued between $500,000 and $800,000. According to the Apple-1 Registry, it is one of only 74 known surviving Apple-1 computers and one of the few still operational, listed as number 48. Included in the auction is a 1978 letter signed by Steve Jobs, proposing a trade-in for an Apple II, and Steve Wozniak's signature on the device itself. Hatfield, a computer enthusiast employed at Computer Data Systems, had contacted Apple regarding software limitations; Jobs approved an upgrade, which Hatfield ultimately declined due to a $400 cost. The Apple-1, Apple's inaugural product, was an 8-bit desktop designed by Wozniak and launched by Jobs in 1976. Out of the 200 units produced, around 175 were sold by 1977. Initially marketed as a bare circuit board kit for hobbyists, 50 fully assembled units were sold to The Byte Shop in California, which retailed them for $666.66. The Hatfield unit still retains nearly all of its original components and has a clear lineage to its first owner.