Science and Tech

Someone has paid $63,000 for an unsealed original iPhone. It is the most expensive ever

First Generation Iphone 3 Auction

When the first-generation iPhone with 8 GB of storage went on sale in the United States in 2007, it was priced at $599. Today, 15 years later, someone has paid $63,356 for one of these. Seen from another angle, he has shelled out some 106 times the original value of the device that is credited with revolutionizing the mobile phone industry.

We are facing one of the most outstanding “vintage” technology auctions in recent years. And, specifically, the most expensive first iPhone model sold to date. On other occasions, these coveted devices by collectors had reached bids close to $40,000. Karen Green’s unsealed phone, as we say, has just passed this high threshold.

If you have one of these without unsealing, you have a fortune

One of the most curious facts about this auction is that the iPhone had been kept in a drawer for years and out of the attention of its owner. As explained by LCG AuctionsGreen had gotten a job at PetSmart in 2007, so his coworkers they decided to give him the iPhone of the first generation that had just been released that same summer, but the gift was never used in the end.

The young woman was a Verizon user, but the iPhone only worked with AT&T. Rather than immediately switch carriers and lose her phone number, she decided to keep the smartphone. The years passed, new models of the apple phone hit the market and, as the features of that iPhone became obsolete, its price grew and it added points to become a collector’s item.


Karen Green’s iPhone

As Insider points out, Green was surprised to see an unsealed iPhone being offered on eBay for $10,000. “OMG I think I have the original”, he thought at that moment and asked his son to look for the phone and make sure that the box was intact. Indeed, in more than 15 years the phone had never been used, so she thought of selling it to raise funds to set up a business.

First Generation Iphone 2

Apple promotional image

The auction began in early February with a bid of $2,500, although at the time it was estimated to fetch a price of around $50,000. The interest on the part of collectors was growing and on February 19 a wave of offers was presented. That day began with an offer of 24,631, but ended up selling for 63,356.40.

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Some questions remain unanswered for the moment. For example, we don’t know who the new owner is of the precious device and what to do with it. Will it end up in a museum? Will you decide to open it or keep it in its box? We do know that components such as the battery tend to degrade over time, so unsealing it and trying to turn it on may not be the best idea.

Images: Apple | LCG Auctions

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