Apple gadgets usually rake in big bucks at auction, so it’s no surprise that a piece of paper penned by Steve Jobs has sold for six times its estimated value. A handwritten ad that the late Apple co-founder wrote for his and his fellow co-founder’s first product has been sold for $175,759. The ad itself is a rough draft specification sheet for the groundbreaking Apple-1, which was launched in 1976.
According to RR Auction, which conducted the auction, Jobs carefully scribed the advertisement in black ink on an off-white 8.5 x 11 binder sheet. It serves as a rough draft of the Apple-1’s technical specifications, revealing important details about the machine like its power supplies, terminal-input capabilities, video output, and expandability options through an edge connector that can hold up to 65 kilobytes of memory. In the ad, Jobs also writes about the Apple-1’s microprocessors, recommending users opt for the 6800, 6501, or 6502 due to their availability of basic software. He also notes that the Apple-1 is equipped with a full CRT terminal and a capacity for 8 kilobytes of RAM.
The ad concludes by listing its price, which was $75 for the board and manual. This is significantly lower than the retail price for the Apple-1 at the time of its launch, and indicates that Jobs was confident in the device’s value. It also speaks to the early days of Apple when it was still a start-up company with limited resources.
Jobs’ ad was given to the current owner during a visit in 1976 and the person who reportedly sold the ad kept in contact with the former Apple co-founder throughout the years, meeting him again in 2011 just months before his death. This isn’t the only piece of memorabilia from the tech legend to sell for a large sum in recent times. Two NeXT business cards with Jobs’ name on them have also gone for a huge sum.
Steve Jobs, the legendary co-founder of Apple, died at the age of 56 in 2011. He was a visionary who revolutionized technology and consumer electronics. His legacy lives on to this day, with many of his products remaining popular even decades after they were released.
This article was originally published on April 16, 2019. It has since been updated. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
For more on Steve Jobs and Apple, check out how this vintage iPad was a rare find at an auction. Or, see why Steve Jobs’ own family hasn’t been able to get the trademark for his daughter’s surname. Also, read about the time an Apple engineer created a prototype Mac for Jobs.
