Non-fake Apple 1 on ebay

[Jules Richardson]

Christian Corti wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Nov 2009, Tony Duell wrote:
>> And to get back on topic, why is a Sinclar ZX80 (which I don't own) worth
>> many times the value of an HP workstation (which is a much better
>> designed and built machine)?
> 
> The cost of a machine does not necessarily relate to its value.
> I'd say a ZX80 or an Apple-I don't have a value, but they cost much.
> On the other hand, we have the only two working LGP-30s on earth (only 
> 450 were ever built)

Yes, and on that note there are probably *many* systems out there that survive 
in numbers of five or less, and some of those doubtless did something 
different or unusual and were somehow innovative in their own way - yet their 
"cost" is essentially scrap value. That's probably a good thing for us 
collectors, but doesn't really explain why someone wants to put $50k down on 
an A1.

I'm still left kind of thinking it's a small percentage for the system itself 
and a large percentage for the name of the company that built it, and I 
suppose I've never been one to 'get' why a brand is important, so I'm probably 
doomed to never make any sense of this :-)

 > I can't imagine having fun with an Apple-I...

I think I'd enjoy messing around with it - but $50k's worth of messing around? 
Not a chance. I suppose it'd be interesting to know whether the buyer of this 
one ever uses it, or if it's treated just as an artifact to hold/gain value or 
hang on the wall (and let's face it, if it were used it's unlikely to turn 
into a big fireball when it does eventually fail - may as well use the darn 
thing and only hang it on the wall once it can no longer be fixed).

cheers

Jules