Original 1st Gen iPhone Sells for $63,000+ at Auction

[TomKatt]

A factory sealed, first-generation iPhone sold at auction for a whopping $63,356.40 – more than 100 times its original price – after a woman was gifted the phone in 2007, but never opened it because she didn't want to get rid of her other phone.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2023/02/21/first-generation-iphone-sells-63000/11310634002/

My first thought is I must be getting old.  My 2nd thought is are these really that rare?  OK - it's NOS unopened box, but surely it's not the only example existing?

My 3rd thought is that as much as I like Apple gear, Apple fans are nuts 

[ebastler]

That's an interesting version of Schroedinger's Cat paradoxon: You will never know whether there is a $63,000 iPhone inside that box. If you open it to find out, you will be left with an iPhone + open box worth a fraction of that money.

Let's hope the auction included an x-ray picture...

[james_s]

Several years ago I sold a few rare NES game cartridges that were still factory sealed. I did xray them out of curiosity to see what was inside, it was exactly what you'd expect to be in there.

[Sal Ammoniac]

Back in the early 1980s I traded my Apple 1 for a set of golf clubs.  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(  :'(

[TomKatt]

Back in the early 1980s I tried my Apple 1 for a set of golf clubs.  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

I probably could have retired on all the Matchbox cars and other toys that ultimately got thrown out or sucked up the vacuum cleaner.

Back in the late 80's I had a beautiful 1960's Epiphone Rivoli hollow body bass guitar that I sold for rent money.  These were the 'hair metal' days and a lot of classic gear wasn't really worth that much (at least I got what I paid for it).   A few years ago I had a yearning to replace it and I'd need to take a mortgage out on my house to replace it.  In hindsight, I should have just slept on the streets 

[pcprogrammer]

... In hindsight, ...

Well if you knew everything in advance you would lie down before you fell 

I guess that a lot of us oldies had some stuff and sold, dumped or destroyed it, that is now worth a fortune. Can't think of what that would have been for me though.

Maybe my old analog synths will fetch a couple of bucks. Not that Siel synths are sought after. Not like old Roland's or the something like the Yamaha CS-80.

[magic]

a woman was gifted the phone in 2007, but never opened it because she didn't want to get rid of her other phone

She just did the right thing.

That being said, I would probably have sold it earlier.

[Bud]

My guess is the buyer may have confused it with Apple 1 

[james_s]

I wouldn't pay a lot for it, but it's a factory sealed unit of what is essentially the prototype of all modern smartphones. Whatever you think of Apple, the iPhone is as revolutionary and influential as the Apple I.

[thm_w]

My first thought is I must be getting old.  My 2nd thought is are these really that rare?  OK - it's NOS unopened box, but surely it's not the only example existing?

Do a quick search on ebay, lots available for <$100.
The value is the sealed box.

[eti]

The stewardship of wealth is often transferred from the foolish with too much of it (buyer), to those who actually need it (seller). Money is to be looked after, not squandered on guff. Now, if it were a known fact that this investment could be sold on at a profit, and said profit could be ploughed into something to help others, or feed and clothe them for years, or keep the lights on... well that's a GOOD idea. To buy it "just because" and have it stagnate on a shelf, well... no words.

My first thought is I must be getting old.  My 2nd thought is are these really that rare?  OK - it's NOS unopened box, but surely it's not the only example existing?

Do a quick search on ebay, lots available for <$100.
The value is the sealed box.

For the sake of a shrink wrap machine and the correct type of film, and the potential profit, I'd be resealing them for the chumps to purchase; it's not like they're gonna open them!  - in fact, a nice big bar of soap could take the place of the device, as a weight proxy.

[james_s]

For the sake of a shrink wrap machine and the correct type of film, and the potential profit, I'd be resealing them for the chumps to purchase; it's not like they're gonna open them!  - in fact, a nice big bar of soap could take the place of the device, as a weight proxy.

That's called fraud, and I certainly wouldn't be advertising that I was such a dishonest person to brag about ripping off people you view as less intelligent than yourself. In my case I have the ability to xray packages to find out what is inside them, and I doubt you would be able to package something up quite so neatly that it would pass as original and untouched.

People pay millions for ugly paintings and sculptures, mint condition uncirculated coins can be extremely valuable too, this is really no different. Would you polish up a coin and try to pass it off as uncirculated to some "chump" as well?

[TomKatt]

People pay millions for ugly paintings and sculptures, mint condition uncirculated coins can be extremely valuable too, this is really no different. Would you polish up a coin and try to pass it off as uncirculated to some "chump" as well?

In fairness, at least you can see and appreciate your examples for what they are.  Even uncirculated coins are viewable through transparent cases.

There's something strange to me about collecting a 'package' where the contents are basically unknowable.  Sure, I guess you can xray the contents, but that doesn't seem to definitively prove it's the original device that hasn't been repackaged.

Reminds me of 'Artists Shit'...

[james_s]

In fairness, at least you can see and appreciate your examples for what they are.  Even uncirculated coins are viewable through transparent cases.

There's something strange to me about collecting a 'package' where the contents are basically unknowable.  Sure, I guess you can xray the contents, but that doesn't seem to definitively prove it's the original device that hasn't been repackaged.

Reminds me of 'Artists Shit'...

I wouldn't pay a large amount, but I have several unopened vintage computer peripherals and I think it's cool. I have xrayed the packages just for fun so I know what's in there. I suppose it could technically be possible that someone re-sealed it but I think that's unlikely given they are not at this time at least particularly valuable. I can understand the appeal, it's a new old stock, never touched, never used item in the package, that's rare and when something is rare and there are people that want it, the price goes up. If it's not that valuable to you then don't buy it, but I'm not going to knock someone that does want it.

$60k is peanuts for this sort of thing, somebody paid $2M for an unopened copy of Super Mario Bros, one of the most widely produced game cartridges ever released. The game is about as far from rare as it gets, but unopened copies are extremely rare.

https://www.gadgets360.com/games/news/super-mario-bros-nintendo-game-1985-sold-price-usd-2-million-rally-gaming-collectibles-the-legend-of-zelda-2506253#:~:text=The%20astonishing%20sale%20price%20of,11.58%20crores).

[eti]

People with a higher disposable income than available uncommon sense, are welcome to buy whatsoever they like. It’s what they think fills the void of their empty lives.

[thm_w]

I assumed eti was joking about the shrink wrap thing, I doubt he'd actually go through with it.
Don't totally disagree with him though.


As for the super mario bros, that was likely a shill bid or scam to generate hype and raise the prices of video games to ridiculous levels. Not really any different from NFT auctions, where you'd sell the NFT to yourself a few times to make it look more valuable, then pawn it off to some sucker.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/2-million-super-mario-auction/

[eti]

I assumed eti was joking about the shrink wrap thing, I doubt he'd actually go through with it.
Don't totally disagree with him though.


As for the super mario bros, that was likely a shill bid or scam to generate hype and raise the prices of video games to ridiculous levels. Not really any different from NFT auctions, where you'd sell the NFT to yourself a few times to make it look more valuable, then pawn it off to some sucker.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/2-million-super-mario-auction/

I think that whoever coined “NFT” was laughing their heads off; I reckon the actual acronym was “Not Flipping Tangible”

[james_s]

I have no idea, but I sold three unopened copies of Stack Up in less than perfect condition boxes that had a few spots of mold and some small tears in the shrink wrap for >$1200 each and that was several years ago.

[eti]

I have no idea, but I sold three unopened copies of Stack Up in less than perfect boxes condition boxes that had a few spots of mold and some small tears in the shrink wrap for >$1200 each and that was several years ago.

Were they tears of regret? 😭

(Yes, I know what you wrote - in case I get an “explanation”)