A working Apple I signed on its motherboard by Steve Wozniak sold for $1.15 million at Bonhams in October 2026, setting the highest reported auction price for an Apple I at that time. The 28-minute sale ended with two bidders competing for the historically important computer.
What sold and why the result matters
The machine, known as the “Hatfield” Apple I, is Apple-1 Registry no. 48. Bonhams estimated it at $500,000–$800,000 before the auction, so the $1.15 million result substantially exceeded the presale range. AppleInsider reported the result in 2026 and identified it as the highest price an Apple I had reached at that point.
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The result is significant because an Apple I is not simply an early personal computer. It was Apple’s first product: an 8-bit desktop computer designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak and introduced by Steve Jobs in 1976. Its small production run, survival rate and direct connection to Apple’s founding period make each well-documented example an unusually scarce artifact.
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Original buyer and registry identity
Fred Hatfield bought the computer from Apple in 1976, which gave the machine its nickname. Its registry number, 48, provides a specific identity within the surviving Apple-1 record rather than treating it as an anonymous example.
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Wozniak’s signature
Steve Wozniak signed the Apple I’s motherboard. The signature is attached to the computer itself, strengthening the connection between the physical machine and its designer while also distinguishing it from an unsigned or later-restored example.
Jobs’s 1978 trade-in letter
The lot also included a letter dated January 18, 1978, signed by Steve Jobs. Jobs offered Hatfield an Apple II 4K board in exchange for the Apple I and a $400 payment after Hatfield complained that the Apple I had limited software. Hatfield declined the proposed trade, preserving both the computer and the unusual written record of Apple’s early transition from the Apple I to the Apple II.
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How rare is the Apple I?
PetaPixel reported in 2026, citing the Apple-1 historical record, that approximately 200 Apple I computers were produced and about 175 were sold through 1977. Only 74 are known to exist today. Fewer than that are believed to remain operational, although the available figures do not establish an exact count of functioning machines.
| Apple I production and survival | Reported figure | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Produced | 200 | PetaPixel, 2026, citing the Apple-1 historical record |
| Sold through 1977 | Approximately 175 | PetaPixel, 2026, citing the Apple-1 historical record |
| Known to exist | 74 | PetaPixel, 2026 |
| Known to be operational | Exact count not stated | Fewer than the 74 known survivors are believed to work |
That scarcity is especially important for a working example. A nonfunctional board can still have major historical value, but an operational Apple I demonstrates that the original hardware survives as a usable computer as well as a collectible.
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How the $1.15 million compares with earlier Apple I sales
The Hatfield computer had previously sold for approximately $666,150 in 2013. Its 2026 result also surpassed several more recent reported sales. These figures are realized prices, not auction estimates; condition, restoration, provenance and included documents differ from one lot to another.
| Sale | Condition or provenance noted in reports | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bonhams, October 2026 | Working Hatfield Apple I; Wozniak-signed motherboard; Jobs-signed 1978 letter; Registry no. 48 | $1.15 million — Bonhams auction result, reported by AppleInsider, 2026 |
| 2013 | Earlier sale of the Hatfield machine | Approximately $666,150 |
| 2022 | Restored Wozniak-signed Apple I | $340,100 |
| March 2025 | Details not stated in the reported comparison | $375,000 |
| September 2025 | Details not stated in the reported comparison | $475,000 |
Why collectors paid more than $1 million
- Working condition: Operational original hardware is scarcer and offers a direct demonstration of the Apple I rather than only a preserved circuit board.
- Founding-era provenance: Hatfield’s 1976 purchase links the computer to Apple’s first year as a product company.
- Two founder signatures in context: Wozniak’s signature is on the motherboard, while Jobs’s signature appears on a contemporaneous trade-in letter tied directly to the machine.
- Documented identity: Registry no. 48 and the named original owner provide evidence beyond a generic claim that the board is an Apple I.
- Extreme scarcity: A production run of 200 and 74 known survivors leave very few opportunities for collectors to acquire a documented example.
Ian Ehling, Bonhams’ Director of Fine Books & Manuscripts, North America, called the result “one of the most important milestones in computing history” and described the computer as “one of the most significant Apple I computers ever to come to market.”
Did Steve Jobs really offer a trade for this Apple I?
Yes. The January 18, 1978 letter is signed by Jobs and proposes an Apple II 4K board plus a $400 payment in exchange for Hatfield’s Apple I. The offer followed Hatfield’s complaint about the Apple I’s limited software. Hatfield refused, leaving the original computer and the letter together for later collectors.
What the sale does—and does not—prove
The $1.15 million price establishes a new reported high for an Apple I auction result as of October 2026, but it should not be treated as a universal price for every surviving unit. Value depends on whether a machine works, how much original hardware remains, the quality of any restoration, its registry and ownership history, and whether founder-signed documents accompany it.
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Likewise, the known-survivor figure is not an operating-machine census. Sources identify 74 Apple I computers known to exist and say fewer are believed operational; they do not provide a verified exact number of working examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the signed Apple I sell for?
The Hatfield Apple I sold for $1.15 million at Bonhams in October 2026.
How many Apple I computers still exist?
PetaPixel reported 74 known survivors in 2026. Fewer are believed to remain operational, but an exact working count was not stated.
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What made the Hatfield Apple I especially valuable?
It was working, retained nearly all original components, carried Steve Wozniak’s signature on its motherboard, and came with a January 18, 1978 Steve Jobs-signed trade-in letter.
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