It is rarely you come across something as valuable as a handwritten advertisement by none other than Steve Jobs. The artifact becomes even more precious when the advertisement is about Apple -1.
The name of the person who won the auction to get the rare artifact has not been disclosed by the auction company.
The ad draft was written by Steve Jobs in 1976 and has his full signature in lowercase print, “steven jobs,” . What makes the draft so expensive is the fact that it is accompanied by two polaroids of the working prototype of Apple-1. The photos were captured at The Byte Shop in Mountain View, California.
The draft also lists contact addresses as Steve Jobs’ parents’ home address and phone number, “11161 Crist dr., Los Altos, Ca 94022, (415) 968-3596.” This is the place where Apple was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
Apple-1 is believed to be the first product sold by Apple Computers. The handwritten draft features specifications of the Apple-1 computer handwritten by Steve Jobs. The note begins with “Apple Computer -1” and then Jobs mentions that it uses either a 6800, 6501, or 6502 microprocessor. In the parenthesis, the note says “6501 or 6502 recommended because we have basic”
Under the microprocessor, Jobs has written on board breakdown, enlisting the components of Apple-.
The draft is concluded with “board only + manual $75 a rare deal” and then the signature of Jobs.
The auction company has verified the draft copy by an Apple historian. The company writes the following in the description of the item:
“According to Apple historian Corey Cohen, the technical specifications of this handwritten advertising draft match neatly with the original advertisement for the Apple-1, which was first printed in the July 1976 issue of Interface Magazine, marking the public start of what would become one of the most valuable and influential companies in the world.”
RRauction has also confirmed in the description that the advertisement draft was originally gifted by Steve Jobs to a friend of his during 1975-1976 along with a Polaroid photo of the computer, and a Polaroid screenshot of Apple 1 Basic.