We don’t think many people still have an original 2007 iPhone, let alone one that’s in the unopened retail box, shrink-wrapped. Still, we wouldn’t expect anyone to fetch tens of thousands of dollars at an auction. We were also wrong: a first-generation Apple iPhone drew 28 bids on LCG Auctions, with the winning bid reaching $39,339.60.
“This factory sealed copy of the first release is in exceptional condition. Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with proper seam detailing and tightness,” the auction description reads. “Labels on the back are correctly intact under the seal. All original – no aftermarket decals or UPC labels on these.”
The listing also states that it was never activated, which is of course a given given that it was sold as a phone that was never opened and is still sealed in the box after all these years.
“Collectors and investors would struggle to find a superior example,” the auction states.
All good stuff, but that is a considerable amount for a smartphone of 15 years. This is the 8GB model, which sold for $599 when it was released in 2007 (the 4GB model sold for $499). Other specs include a 3.5-inch display with a laughable (by today’s standards) 480 x 320 resolution, a 32-bit Arm processor built by Samsung and clocked at 412 MHz, a 2-megapixel camera at the rear. back, a 1400 mAh battery and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Smartphones have grown by leaps and bounds since the original iPhone. For example, the latest generation iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display with a 2796 x 1290 resolution and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a beefy A16 Bionic processor, 6 GB of RAM, up to 1 TB of built-in storage, a 12 MP front camera, triple rear camera system (48MP + 12MP + 12MP), and the list of upgrades goes on and on.
Prices on the iPhone 14 Pro Max range from $1,099 (128 GB of storage) to $1,599 (1 TB of storage). So to put that into perspective, the original iPhone that fetched over $39,000 at auction is equivalent in price to paying for between 24 and 35 iPhone 14 Pro Max models.
That’s hard to fathom, but who knows, the same phone might be worth a bigger fortune in the coming years. Apple nostalgia is piping hot in the auction community — earlier this year, a 1976 computer check signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak reached $163,923 at auction, while a signed Apple-1 computer prototype fetched $677,196.
Top Image Source: LCG Auctions
