October 18, 2022
An unopened first-generation Apple iPhone sold for $39,339.60 at auction 15 years after it was first released, with a starting price of $499.
The museum piece, a brand new 8 GB smartphone from 2007, is factory sealed and in excellent condition. The surface and edges of the object are impeccably labelled, and everything is completely original. Also, it is rare that there were no additional stickers or Universal Product Code (UPC) labels, as well as the packaging being completely unmarked, added to its rarity. It retained its two-megapixel camera and a headphone jack.
The iPhone, which had a starting bid of $2,500, included now-defunct apps such as the iPod for music and built-in YouTube. It has massive edges around a tiny 3.5-inch screen, a home button and no selfie camera. On the reverse, it still had a tight factory seal and flawless labels.
The bid took place at LCG Auction’s 2022 Fall Premier event, and according to LCG, the “original 2007 Apple iPhone Factory Sealed (First Release) managed to reach the record price and exceeded expectations of $30,000.”
According to LCG Auctions, the vintage piece sold is in “exceptional condition,” with “correct seam details and tightness” on its factory seal. “Brand new, never used; collectors and investors will be hard-pressed to find a better example,” it says.
The phone received a total of 28 bids, with the winning bid enough to buy 39 iPhone 14 Pros.
The sources for this piece include an article in SkyNews.
