Woman tosses Apple computer that turns out to be worth $200K

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

MILPITAS, Calif. (AP) — Her electronic waste is someone else's treasure.

A recycling center in the Silicon Valley is looking for a woman who dropped off an old Apple computer that turned out to be a collectible item worth $200,000.

The computer was inside boxes of electronics that she had cleaned out from her garage after her husband died, said Victor Gichun, the vice president of Clean Bay Area.

She didn't want a tax receipt or leave her contact information, and it wasn't until a few weeks later that workers opened the boxes to discover an Apple I computer inside.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/c8f0965b565e4270aa2521f1a38800e8/woman-tosses-apple-computer-turns-out-be-worth-200k

[C Moon]

1. Wow!!!

[NanceGreggs]

2. Story update:

After bringing said computer to the Antiques Roadshow, an appraiser declared that the item would have been worth $200,000 - if it hadn't been for that nick on the side of the casing. Current value - five pence.

[Binkie The Clown]

3. Apple I didn't have a case, so how could the case be nicked?

Apple I was a bare circuit board, no case, no keyboard, no monitor.

Apple II had a case, but when I tossed my old Apple II into the dumpster many, many years ago, there were literally stacks of them in the local Goodwill, and they couldn't move them at $2 each.

[FailureToCommunicate]

14. (I think Nance was going more for funny than for accurate)

[cui bono]

4. "The recycling firm sold the Apple I for $200,000 to a private collection"

and they'll give her half if she comes back to claim it!

[magical thyme]

5. apple computers are collectibles?

Hmmm...I have an old apple laptop. Any takers?

[marym625]

6. I had no idea any old computer stuff was worth anything

I will sure check out stuff like that before I toss anything in the future

[marym625]

9. ah!

That makes sense. But you never know. If I only had all my old toys and lunchboxes.

But when it comes to technology, nothing I have ever had has been the first thing

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

10. I simply gave away my Apple 2+, with original game controllers, modem, disk drive a few years ago,

and pitched my old floppy games just last year. I wonder if they were actually worth something?

[Bryce Butler]

11. To those who are interested...

This is the Apple 1:

[AngryAmish]

12. I am putting my old Acer up for sale.....any bidders?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. OK. Two Clubs.