Unopened original iPhone auction smashes record with $190,000 price [u]

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited July 2023

An original 2007 4GB iPhone has broken sales records at auction, with a 4GB first-release unit still in its factory sealing seemingly selling for over $190,000.




The second lot in LCG Auctions' 2023 Summer Premier Auction ran from June 30 until July 16, with the virtual hammer falling on bids at 8:08 P.M. Eastern. After an initial bid of $10,000, the lot went through 28 bids in total, breaking $100,000 in the auction's closing hours and eventually reaching a price of $158,644.

With the 20% buyer's premium, the final price of the lot swelled to $190,372.80.

For that money, a bidder secured the "elusive" 4GB original iPhone released on June 29, 2007. The reason for its exclusivity is due to its limited production run, since Apple offered the 8GB model for $100 more, prompting lagging sales for the lower-capacity variant.

Apple discontinued the 4GB model on September 5, 2007, just over two months after its release.

The lot is still factory-sealed and said to be in "exceptional condition" with "virtually flawless" edges and surfaces and tight wrapping. The iPhone was also cosigned by part of the original engineering team at Apple when the lot first launched.

The sale is far higher than previously sold factory-sealed units. In February, the previous record sold for $63,000, a second went for $54,904 in March, and another with a "Lucky You" sticker fetched $40,000.

At the $158,644 highest bid price without the buyer's premium, the iPhone is worth more than four Tesla Model 3 cars, 264 M2 Mac minis, 99 1TB iPhone 14 Pro Max units, or the value of this writer's house.

Updated on July 17, 2023 at 1:09 P.M. Eastern: Updated with auction pricing and clarification request.
Updated on July 17, 2023 at 1:31 P.M. Eastern: Updated after receiving clarification from the auctioneer, that the increase was the 20% buyer's premium, which wasn't updated at the time of original reporting.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    M68000M68000 Posts: 728member
    So, the battery is probably ruined and there are no replacement batteries available?!
    Anilu_777watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 10
    Anilu_777Anilu_777 Posts: 528member
    lol the value of the writer’s house. Where I live I could only dream of a house that inexpensive. But appreciate the humour
    byronlwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 10
    bafreedbafreed Posts: 3member
    Very strange that this unopened phone was a better investment than the stock itself. 


    byronldavwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 10
    GrannySmith99GrannySmith99 Posts: 45member
    Where do you get $158,644 from?

    Clicking through on your link states that it sold for $190,372.80

    I'm confused....!


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 10
    graphicsguygraphicsguy Posts: 11member
    Now, how many people will drop $3500 for the initial Vision Pro headset and then just put in in a box under their bed for 20 years?

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 10
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,069member
    Without looking at the auction materials, I'm wondering how anyone can know what's in the box (!). I presume some sort of x-ray was performed to verify an actual iPhone is in there, but without breaking and inspecting the condition, I would think faking "factory sealed" boxes easy to do. The auction house and/or seller warrants the item to be as represented?
    edited July 2023 watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 10
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,127member
    Where do you get $158,644 from?

    Clicking through on your link states that it sold for $190,372.80

    I'm confused....!
    The top bid in the Bid History page:
    $158,6447/16/2023 5:09:04 PMPrivateID Private

    The $190,372.80 on the main page likely includes auction fees and commissions.
    GrannySmith99
  • Reply 8 of 10
    MalcolmOwenMalcolmOwen Posts: 28member, editor
    mknelson said:
    Where do you get $158,644 from?

    Clicking through on your link states that it sold for $190,372.80

    I'm confused....!
    The top bid in the Bid History page:
    $158,6447/16/2023 5:09:04 PMPrivateID Private

    The $190,372.80 on the main page likely includes auction fees and commissions.
    This is correct. 
    GrannySmith99
  • Reply 9 of 10
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,308member
    M68000 said:
    So, the battery is probably ruined and there are no replacement batteries available?!
    They are not buying this phone to use it.

    It will be kept in its unopened state, and in another 20 years it will probably be worth double (or at least a good deal more) the money paid now. Perhaps sold to another insanely-rich private collector, or to a museum somewhere.

    The original iPhone was not made available worldwide on initial release, so its value as a collector’s item is more valuable in other countries.

    But day-um, those auction fees and commissions adding another $30K to the cost has gotta hurt.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,265member
    M68000 said:
    So, the battery is probably ruined and there are no replacement batteries available?!
    My first generation iPhone can still turn on and function. The only hardware issue with it is that the power button on top doesn't work so I need to wait for the screen to turn off on its own. I'd say that is remarkable that the battery still charges and works - 16 years later. 

    I am so anal about packaging that the original shrink wrap is still clinging to the box!


    muthuk_vanalingam
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