According to MacRumors, the Apple I computer built by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in 1976 was recently auctioned through charity auction website CharityBuzz, with all proceeds going to charity.
The computer, known as the Schoolsky Apple I, was sold by former Virginia Tech professor David Larson, who bought it for $3,500 in 1994 from Adam Schoolsky, who had purchased it from Wozniak. He got the device from Steve Jobs, a friend of Steve Jobs.
When Apple was first founded, the company hand-made 175 Apple I computers; only 50 to 60 machines survive today, and only a fraction are still functioning properly. The previous auction price for an Apple I computer was $905,000, and CharityBuzz’s last auction of an Apple I computer sold for $815,000.
In addition to the Apple I computer, the auction also comes with a number of other items to ensure the authenticity of the hardware, including the Apple I operating manual, original box, Apple I box interface card, the original Apple I promotional advertisement, an Letters written by Adam Schoolsky to David Larson and sketches drawn by veteran Apple employee Ron Wayne, etc.
The Apple I box interface card is very rare on Apple I computers, as most surviving machines do not contain this design. At that time, Apple hoped to use this cassette interface card to connect Apple I computers and cassette recorders.
It is understood that all funds raised from the auction of this Apple I computer will be donated to FAIRS, a non-profit organization in Virginia. This organization was established in 1991 and mainly provides emergency radio equipment, education to individuals, communities and governments in developing countries and other services.
