September 7, 2026, 5:59 am | Read time: 3 minutes
A very special piece of computer history is going up for auction at the U.S. auction house Bonhams in October. Just in time for Apple’s 50th anniversary, a fully functional Apple Computer 1 is going under the hammer. Of the hand-assembled boards from 1976, fewer than 100 examples have survived to this day.
What Makes the Apple Computer 1 So Special?
According to the website “Apple-1 Registry,” there are still 94 confirmed examples of the Apple-1. According to the auction house Bonhams, there are even fewer than 75, with even fewer still functional today. The item Bonhams will auction in October in New York is the famous “Hatfield” Apple-1. What’s special: Apple co-founder and genius tinkerer Steve Wozniak himself signed the board with “Woz.” The package also includes a letter from Steve Jobs himself to the original owner, Fred Hatfield–hence the name.
Fred Hatfield purchased the computer during Apple’s early days. On January 18, 1978, Steve Jobs offered him in writing to exchange the Apple-1 for an Apple-II board with 4 kilobytes of memory. However, Hatfield did not accept the offer and kept the computer. Bonhams estimates the value of this historic piece at $500,000 to $800,000 (approximately 431,000 to 690,000 euros).
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Original and Functional Technology
The main board measures 230 by 395 millimeters and bears the imprint “Apple Computer 1 // Palo Alto. Ca. Copyright 1976.” It features a white MOS Technology 6502 processor, a full 8 kilobytes of RAM, and three of the distinctive blue, original Sprague capacitors. It also includes ports for a keyboard, expansions, and a cassette drive. The original Apple cassette interface from 1976 is also intact.
According to Bonhams specialist Ian Ehling, the Apple Computer 1 is “one of the most important milestones in computer history, and the ‘Hatfield’ example is among the most fascinating preserved specimens.” It was not only Apple’s first product but also one of the “first commercially available personal computers” worldwide. In 1976, the computer was among the first with a pre-assembled main board and built-in video output, significantly simplifying its use.
Viewings and Other Apple Devices
Before the auction begins, Bonhams will display the Apple-1 in Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco. From October 4 to 14, the device will be on view in New York. During this period, the online auction “History of Science, Technology & Computing” will also take place, coinciding with Apple’s 50th anniversary year.
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The auction will also feature an Apple Lisa 1, estimated at $50,000 to $80,000 (43,000 to 69,000 euros), and an Apple Paladin prototype for $40,000 to $60,000 (35,000 to 62,000 euros). A transparent prototype of the Apple Macintosh Portable with a carrying case is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 (9,000 to 13,000 euros). All amounts are preliminary estimates by the auction house.