Bonhams is offering the working Hatfield Apple-1, Registry No. 48, in an online sale running October 4–14, 2026. Its pre-sale estimate is $500,000–$800,000—not a confirmed sale price. The lot includes a motherboard signed by Steve Wozniak, the original Apple cassette interface board, and a 1978 trade-in letter signed “Steven Jobs.”
How much is the signed Apple-1 selling for?
Bonhams estimates the Hatfield Apple-1 at $500,000–$800,000 for its History of Science, Technology & Computing online sale, scheduled to run through October 14, 2026. As of October 7, the sale has not yet closed, so that range is an estimate rather than a realized price. Bonhams’ September 2 announcement is available through its press release.
Notebookcheck reported that this same board sold in Cologne in 2013 for $671,400 after repair. That is a historical sale price reported by a secondary source, not the result of the current auction. Notebookcheck also says working Apple-1s have previously sold for more than $900,000; that figure is historical context, not a prediction of this lot’s result. Its report also cites $666.66 as the Apple-1’s launch price, without providing an original 1976 price document. Notebookcheck’s October 6 report covers those historical figures.
What makes the Hatfield Apple-1 notable?
Wozniak-signed motherboard and Jobs letter
The Apple-1 is listed as Registry No. 48, with Fred Hatfield identified as its original owner. Bonhams describes it as fully functional, and Steve Wozniak signed its motherboard. The lot also includes a letter dated January 18, 1978, signed “Steven Jobs,” who was then identified as Apple’s Vice President, Operations. The letter authorized an exchange of the Apple-1 for an Apple II 4K board; Hatfield declined the offer.
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That documentation adds a specific ownership and company-history story to the hardware. Bonhams’ Director of Fine Books & Manuscripts, North America, Ian Ehling, called it “among the most compelling surviving examples.” That is the auction house representative’s assessment.
Original cassette interface and other components
Bonhams describes the lot as a 1976 Apple Computer 1 motherboard with a MOS Technology 6502 processor, keyboard interface and connector, three original Sprague “Big Blue” capacitors, 8KB RAM, an expansion connector, a cassette-board connector, and the original Apple cassette interface board. The accompanying materials include original manuals, a preliminary Apple BASIC guide, and an invitation to the Apple-1 Owners Club.
Rank #2
- Used Book in Good Condition
The cassette interface is significant because it is part of the Apple-1’s original system design for storing and loading programs using a cassette recorder. Its inclusion is not the same as a complete modern desktop setup: the Apple-1 was sold as a bare board, and the available reporting does not establish that this lot includes a case, power supply, keyboard, or display.
How rare is this Apple-1?
Bonhams says fewer than 75 verified Apple-1 computers are known to survive and that an even smaller number remain operational. Treat that as the auction house’s attributed count, rather than a definitive independent census. The Registry No. 48 designation identifies this particular machine in the Apple-1 Registry; it is not itself a claim that only 48 units survive.
Rank #3
- Renewed products look and work like new. These pre-owned products have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers, which typically perform a full diagnostic test, replacement of any defective parts, and a thorough cleaning process. Packaging and accessories may be generic. All products on Amazon Renewed come with a minimum 90-day supplier-backed warranty.
When does the Bonhams auction end?
The online sale is scheduled for October 4–14, 2026. The available announcement establishes those dates and the estimate, but not the lot’s live bidding status or a final hammer price. Check Bonhams’ sale listing for the current status and result after the scheduled close.
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