Company's first production computer

A resident of Roseville, California is auctioning off an original Apple I, according to the Detroit Free Press. The computer was the first put into production by Apple, launching in 1976 in a limited run of 200 units. It was distinctive at the time for being produced and sold by a two-man team -- Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs -- and building in its own terminal circuitry, requiring only a separate keyboard and TV set.

The model was ultimately discontinued in October 1977, and only a fraction of the systems produced are still said to exist, having been quickly replaced by the Apple II. The unit on auction is described as including its original invoice, manuals and packaging, complete with a return address marked for Jobs' parents' house. Also bundled is a magazine ad, a letter signed by Jobs and a series of photos of the computer's prior owners, one of which also shows Wozniak.

The person selling the computer, Jesse Sackman, claims that the auction is a reluctant one for financial reasons. "I hate that I have to. It's very hard for me," he says. Because of the computer's rarity however the opening bid has been set at $50,000, and an extra $3,000 is being charged for anyone not willing to pick up the system in person. The auction ends on Sunday.

by MacNN Staff