When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, it generated a true revolution in the world of mobile phones. Compared to today’s standards, the technology in Apple’s first smartphone is very primitive; but for the time it meant a brutal leap, as well as a paradigm shift with respect to what until then was conceived as a smartphone. Therefore, it is not surprising that it has become an object of desire by fans and enthusiasts, willing to pay succulent sums for keeping a unit in good condition or still operational.
That’s the way it is, An original iPhone was auctioned yesterday in its sealed box for a staggering $39,339.60. Yes, almost 40,000 dollars for a cell phone launched 15 years ago, and that has never been removed from its original packaging. A dream come true for a collector with deep pockets, no doubt.
The bidding was in charge of LCG Auctions and lasted from September 30 to October 16. The marketed iPhone had 8 GB of storage and was presented in “exceptional condition”. According to the auction house, the original packaging was practically flawless on surfaces and edges, as well as the labels on the back of the box. “Collectors and investors could not find a superior example. Its relevance and rarity make up a winning formula for this sought after collectible,” they said.
The original iPhone, a technological icon highly coveted by collectors
The starting price for this item was $2,500, although it began to rise considerably as the auction closing date approached. Yesterday, in fact, 13 of the 28 offers were made by potential buyers. Thus, during the last five hours available, it jumped from $11,491 to more than 39,000 finals. What’s more, the final figure beat the second best offer by just over $6,500.
The price paid is impressive because it far exceeds the retail price not only of the original iPhone, but also of its most modern evolutions. In 2007, the 8GB version of Apple’s smartphone sold in the US for $599; about 860 current dollars. That is to say that the $39,339.60 would allow you to buy 45.7 iPhones at their original price adjusted for inflation.
But that is not all. The buyer paid the equivalent of almost 25 units of the 1TB iPhone 14 Pro Max, which, with a price of $1,599 in the United States, is the most expensive model in the most recent update of the smartphone catalog by Apple.
In any case, this sealed original iPhone is not the most paid apple phone at auction. Let’s not forget that in November 2021, someone shelled out more than $86,000 on eBay to keep an iPhone X modified to have a USB-C port instead of the original Lightning.