Over the past year, numerous unopened original iPhones have been put up for auction. However, following a February milestone of $63,000, both demand and prices have declined in recent months.
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SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 21: An Apple Store sales associate prepares to sell two iPhone 3GS at an Apple Store July 21, 2009 in San Francisco, California. Apple Inc. reported a better than expected third-quarter profit of $1.23 billion, or $1.35 a share comapred to $1.07 billion, or $1.19 one year ago.
Unopened 2007 iPhone 4GB Model
A factory-sealed 4GB first-generation iPhone from 2007 has shattered sales records at auction. According to Phone Arena, this has been the second lot in LCG Auctions' 2023 Summer Premier Auction that ran from June 30 until July 16. After an initial bid of $10,000, the lot went through 28 bids and fetched an astonishing amount of over $158,000.
At such a hefty price, a buyer successfully obtained the 4GB original iPhone, originally launched on June 29, 2007. Its rarity stems from a limited production run, as Apple primarily focused on promoting the 8GB model by offering it at a $100 higher price, leading to lower demand for the lower-capacity variant.
The 4GB model was discontinued by Apple, while the price of the 8GB unit was decreased from $599 to $399. In February 2008, the 16GB version was introduced, priced at $499. Since the 4GB iPhone was available only from June 29th to September 4th, 2007, it is considered the most scarce iPhone.
The package remains in its original factory seal and is described as being in "exceptional condition" with edges and surfaces that are "virtually flawless" and tightly wrapped. Additionally, the iPhone in the lot was co-signed by members of the original engineering team at Apple during its initial release, hence why it is considered rare.
According to the description given by LCG Auction, this model is in exceptional condition. "Labels on the reverse are correctly pristine beneath the seal. Outstanding color and gloss. Brand new, never activated. The phone's provenance is pristine as the consignor was part of the original engineering team at Apple when the iPhone first launched," the company stated.
World Record
Apple Insider reported that the price of this sale significantly surpassed the amounts previously achieved for factory-sealed units. In February, the highest recorded sale reached $63,000, followed by another sale in March for $54,904. Furthermore, a unit adorned with a "Lucky You" sticker was sold for $40,000.
Valued at an impressive $158,644, the iPhone surpasses the combined worth of four Tesla Model 3 cars, 264 M2 Mac minis, 99 units of the 1TB iPhone 14 Pro Max, and even the appraised value of the house owned by the writer of this statement.
Also Read: Apple's First-Gen iPhone is Set to Sell for $100K at New Auction-Why Was it Considered Rare?
During an auction featuring a collection of rare products from the Cupertino-based tech giant (including Steve Jobs memorabilia), an unopened original Apple phone was sold last year for an astonishing $35,414. This particular iPhone model, released in 2007, offers 8 GB of internal storage and was originally priced at $599.
Related Article: Apple's First-Gen iPhone Sealed in Plastic Fetches for $35,000 at Auction! iPod for $25,000?
