Pre-Apple Jobs and Woz check sells for $135,000

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited August 2023

A check made out by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak for components while creating the Apple I has far exceeded its predicted price at auction.

Source: RR Auctions
Source: RR Auctions



Steve Jobs checks have been auctioned before, but this one on RR Auction is only the second-ever check written by him and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. It predates Apple itself by some 13 days, and is a temporary check before their account was officially opened.

The auction house estimated that the check would sell for at least $50,000. However, it finally sold for $135,261, or around 214 times today's equivalent of its face value.

Dated March 19, 1976, temporary check number 2 is made out to a printed circuit board company for the amount of $116.97 (worth around $630 today). RR Auction says that it is a Wells Fargo check, 7.5 inches by 3 inches, and although temporary, it bears the same routing and account numbers as other early Apple checks.

It's believed that the check to Ramlor, Inc was for printed circuit boards that were to be used in the first Apple I computers.



RR Auctions estimated that the check would sell for at least $50,000.

As well as the check, the auction included is a draft ad for the Apple I computer handwritten by Steve Jobs. That fared even better in the auction, being finally sold for $175,759.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    gilesgiles Posts: 15member
    With its two different written amounts, I wonder if that [precious] check was ever paid by the bank..
  • Reply 2 of 9
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 2,000member
    It is NOT a “temporary check before their
    account was officially opened”.  That makes no sense.  You can’t draw on accounts that are t opened. 

    What this is is a “counter check.” Such checks are blank and have the account and routing numbers added at the branch and are used while awaiting the actual printed checks (which in those days came from the bank most of the time).  After the account is officially opened. 

    Called a “counter check” because they are issued over-the-counter by the branch to the account holder of a new account.  

    shaminobaconstangwatto_cobraFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 3 of 9
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,465member
    chadbag said:
    It is NOT a “temporary check before their
    account was officially opened”.  That makes no sense.  You can’t draw on accounts that are t opened. 

    What this is is a “counter check.” Such checks are blank and have the account and routing numbers added at the branch and are used while awaiting the actual printed checks (which in those days came from the bank most of the time).  After the account is officially opened. 

    Called a “counter check” because they are issued over-the-counter by the branch to the account holder of a new account.  

    I used counter checks before, I remember having to handwrite my account number in a blank area on the check, I do not remember the number being printed on the check.
    Having said that, when I opened a new business bank account they had packages with reserved account numbers that comes with 50 pre-printed checks. They would hand those to you and you're ready to get going on day one.
    watto_cobraFileMakerFellerchadbag
  • Reply 4 of 9
    shaminoshamino Posts: 527member
    bloggerblog said:
    I used counter checks before, I remember having to handwrite my account number in a blank area on the check, I do not remember the number being printed on the check.

    You're obviously older than me.  When I opened my first checking accounts (in the early 90's), the bank had a laser printer with a MICR toner cartridge.  They printed a few sheets containing (I think) 3 checks each for me to use as starters while waiting for the officially printed ones to arrive in the mail.
    baconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 9
    shaminoshamino Posts: 527member
    Note: There has been discussion about this check when the auction was first announced on July 31.


    zeus423watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 9
    GrannySmith99GrannySmith99 Posts: 45member
    I'm thinking i might just sell my check No.1, which I have in my collection.....

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 9
    waveparticlewaveparticle Posts: 1,497member
    Apple stock is worth over three trillion dollars. Is there anyone becoming a billionaire by owning Apple stock?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 9
    baconstangbaconstang Posts: 1,108member
    giles said:
    With its two different written amounts, I wonder if that [precious] check was ever paid by the bank..
    Yes, it was.
    The amount paid is right under the signature...
    watto_cobragiles
  • Reply 9 of 9
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 2,000member
    bloggerblog said:
    chadbag said:
    It is NOT a “temporary check before their
    account was officially opened”.  That makes no sense.  You can’t draw on accounts that are t opened. 

    What this is is a “counter check.” Such checks are blank and have the account and routing numbers added at the branch and are used while awaiting the actual printed checks (which in those days came from the bank most of the time).  After the account is officially opened. 

    Called a “counter check” because they are issued over-the-counter by the branch to the account holder of a new account.  

    I used counter checks before, I remember having to handwrite my account number in a blank area on the check, I do not remember the number being printed on the check.
    Having said that, when I opened a new business bank account they had packages with reserved account numbers that comes with 50 pre-printed checks. They would hand those to you and you're ready to get going on day one.
    I’ve used counter checks multiple times.  The ones I had were pre-printed with the account number and since I was opening a new account they just used the account number of the next counter check book/sheets they had on hand.  Ie they had a set of books of counter checks and each had a new account number pre printed on them. They grabbed the next one and that became the account number of my new account.  

     I’ve used for both personal and business accounts.  
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