An original Apple One computer dating back to 1976, designed and built by Steve Wozniak, aka the “Wizard of Woz”, has sold for over half a million dollars at an auction in Germany. It was reportedly purchased by an unknown buyer via the internet.

Only 200 examples of the Apple I were ever built; 44 are known to exist today; two are said to be in fully-working condition.

Earlier this year a similar Apple I was auctioned in New York for $ 374,500.

To raise cash for its creation in the mid-seventies, Steve Jobs had to sell his only means of transportation, a Volkswagen van, while Steve Wozniak sold his Hewlett-Packard calculator for $500.

In 1976 the model was marketed through the Byte Shop electronics retail chain which bought the first fifty units. 

Apple’s first brainchild, the Apple I, did not include a keyboard, monitor or case. The device was always delivered as a motherboard only. The peripheral equipment had to be obtained individually by each user.

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