Apple-1 Signed by Wozniak and Rare Jobs Check Listing All Three Founders Headline Apple Revolution Auction

Dil Bar Irshad | August 2, 2025 | 10:34 AM IST | Breaking News, Tech, Technology | Follow on Google News

Apple-1 Signed by Wozniak and Rare Jobs Check Listing All Three Founders Headline Apple Revolution Auction

Nearly 200 lots from the dawn of Silicon Valley—hardware, software, signatures, and sealed icons—now up for bid

A museum-worthy Apple-1 computer signed by Steve Wozniak and a startup check listing all three Apple co-founders are among the marquee items in RR Auction’s Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution, a major sale spotlighting the pioneers and breakthroughs that shaped the digital age.

Running through August 21, the online auction features nearly 200 rare and significant artifacts from the earliest days of Apple Inc. and the broader Silicon Valley ecosystem—from prototype iPods to factory-sealed iPhones and autographs from tech giants including Elon Musk and Sergey Brin.

Signed Apple-1 Leads the Sale

The auction’s centerpiece is a fully operational Apple-1 computer, Registry #89, nicknamed “Schlumberger #2.” One of only about 200 ever made by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, the unit has been signed on the Synertek 6502 chip by Wozniak and on the walnut base by early Apple employee Daniel Kottke. It’s one of fewer than 60 Apple-1 computers known to survive—and among the even smaller number still in working condition.

“This Apple-1 was sold in 1977 in Rochester, NY, from a local Apple reseller to the chief developer of Schlumberger Overseas SA, who then shipped it to Germany,” said Apple-1 expert Corey Cohen, who examined the machine virtually. “It may be the first Apple product ever operated outside of North America.”

After an unsuccessful appearance at Christie’s in 2019, the computer was acquired and restored by Jimmy Grewal, a noted Apple historian and curator of The AAPL Collection in Dubai. Grewal secured the Wozniak and Kottke signatures before selling the machine to a private American collector, who is now offering it at auction.

“Collectors value story, provenance, and presentation—and this Apple-1 has it all,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction. “From Rochester to Dubai, it’s a standout example of early Apple history.”

Rare Jobs-Signed Startup Checks Surface

Also featured are two rare checks from Apple’s earliest days, both signed by Steve Jobs in 1976. Lot 6001—Check No. 6 dated March 28, 1976—is filled out and signed by Jobs, with the reverse side uniquely annotated by a bank employee to list all three Apple co-founders: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.

“It’s the only known Apple check to include all three names together on the same transaction,” said Livingston. “A remarkable piece of the origin story.”

Another, dated July 8, 1976, and made out to RadioShack, reflects Jobs’s direct involvement in acquiring components for the first Apple-1 computers.

Other Auction Highlights

    •    Apple Lisa with Twiggy Drives (Lot 6026): A rare early Lisa system complete with keyboard, mouse, ProFile hard drive, and original software. Once seen as a failure, the Lisa is now recognized as a key precursor to the Macintosh and a milestone in GUI computing.

    •    Sealed First-Generation 4 GB iPhone (Lot 6064): One of the rarest variants of Apple’s most revolutionary product. This example remains factory-sealed with original labeling—a pristine artifact from the mobile era’s origin point.

    •    Prototype iPod Classic (“P95 DVT”) (Lot 6075): A first-gen iPod prototype with a rare red logic board and internal components used during Apple’s design validation phase.

    •    Altair 8800 Computers and Archive (Lot 6159): Two early Altair 8800 machines and extensive documentation from hobbyist Jack Everson—offering insight into the machine that inspired a generation of coders and entrepreneurs.

    •    Modern Tech Titan Autographs: Including a Tesla Model S quick guide signed by Elon Musk (Lot 6141), and a business card signed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Alphabet (Lot 6145).

RR Auction’s “Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution” runs through August 21, 2025. The full catalog is available and bidding is open at www.rrauction.com.

Dil Bar Irshad

Dil Bar Irshad is a seasoned journalist, hails from Jammu Kashmir's Doda, covers political, social, business stories, index stories.