Re: ARTICLE: Apple II serial #2000 being auctioned on eBay

["Giorgio Ungarelli" <giorgio@*no_spam*ungarelli.net>]

$3850!!!

"Giorgio Ungarelli" <giorgio@*no_spam*ungarelli.net> wrote in message
news:3df89629$1_4@news.bluewin.ch...
>
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4610&item=2080413427
>
> "Bryan Villados" <news002@macgeek.org> wrote in message
> news:XmTJ9.118257$2z1.33251406@twister.socal.rr.com...
> > http://www.macgeek.org/
> >
> > 12/11/2002 - Oldest known Apple II up for bid on eBay
> >
> > I was surprised to see this particular specimen of Apple II put up for
> > auction.
> >
> > The seller of this item is Ernest, which is what we know of him as on
> > comp.sys.apple2. He has one of the most awesome computer collections
> around.
> > Besides Apple II computers, he also collects Apple II clone models,
> > including the Orange 2 and the Multitech MPF II. Recently, he's run into
a
> > financial situation, and therefore is forced to sell some of his
valuable
> > items, including this very Apple II.
> >
> > As a true Apple collector, he's done his research, finding out exactly
how
> > this particular specimen fits into the scheme of things. What he's
> > discovered is that not only is this item older than the Apple II
displayed
> > at the Smithsonian Institute, it is even older than the Apple II Steve
> > Wozniak currently owns in his collection.
> >
> > This is by far the oldest unit I've ever seen of the Apple II line. The
> one
> > thing that sticks out for me is the power supply. The very early Apple
II
> > models used a toggle-type SPST switch, and this is the first time I've
> ever
> > seen one. The keyboard is also original, with the power light raised way
> > above the shell. The inside of the unit is very clean! Ernest pulled out
> > every moveable part and cleaned it, along with every key on the
keyboard.
> > The logic board is very low on the totem pole, hand written serial
number
> > 2000. The logic board, however, has been upgraded to the Autostart ROM,
> > enabling the computer to boot into BASIC instead of the system monitor.
> > Other upgrades have been made to unit via add-ons, including the Apple
> Disk
> > II controller and disk drives, which weren't even in existence at the
time
> > of this unit's release. And, the original Apple II Reference Manual,
also
> > known as the "Red Book" is part of the bid, and it's in beautiful
> condition.
> >
> > Sources have mentioned that this particular specimen could reach a price
> as
> > high as $10,000.00, a number that is usually reserved for an Apple Lisa
1
> or
> > a broken Apple 1. However, IMHO, the Lisa 1 is only worth that much
> because
> > of its scarcity in the collecting market. The Apple II, however,
> represents
> > something totally different. Besides being very rare, it also represents
> the
> > first fully-built system in its market. There are many firsts that was
set
> > by the Apple II. Because this particular specimen is among the first to
be
> > built, it brings this unit that much closer to the roots of Apple
> Computer,
> > and the microcomputer industry in general. If you read the book Apple
> > Confidential, you'll see a stack of the very first roll-out of empty
Apple
> > II shells ever made. This very unit's shell could be one of those
shells!
> > Just think about it!!!!! My imagination is endless with this unit.
> >
> > In the very near future, I plan on creating a photo archive of this
unit,
> > and hopefully will post a Q&A session with Ernest on how he obtained the
> > Apple II, and his thoughts on the whole collecting scheme of things.
> >
> > --- Bryan
> >
> >
>
>