Courtesy of RR Auction
A check for $800, signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, is expected to fetch between $2 million and $4 million at auction this month, illustrating the enduring captivation with Apple’s early days.
A Piece of Apple History Heads to Auction
Table of Contents
The check represents a pivotal moment in tech history,and a rare glimpse into the company’s humble beginnings.
The artifact, a $800 check made out to Ronald Wayne, is being auctioned by Christie’s as part of a sale titled “We the People: America at 250,” featuring “works of art, furniture and documents that changed American history.” Wayne, the third co-founder of Apple, quickly sold his 10 percent stake in the company shortly after signing the partnership agreement, a decision that now seems… ill-advised, to say the least.
This isn’t the only piece of Apple lore hitting the auction block. The original partnership agreement between Jobs, Wozniak, and Wayne, also signed on April 1, 1976, is concurrently up for bid at Christie’s.
The Value of a Signature
Collectibles related to Apple’s early history, particularly those connected to Steve Jobs, command astronomical prices. A signed Apple business card from around 1983 can sell for six figures, according to bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction. “There’s an emotional connection between Steve Jobs and collectors,” Livingston explained.”People who start their own internet or engineering companies love Apple products.”
Lonnie Mimms, founder of a tech museum in Roswell, Georgia, and the current owner of the check, emphasized the rarity. “You can get anything in the world with a Steve Wozniak signature on it, but Jobs is another story. and the two of them together is the highest form of rarity.”
Why is Steve Jobs’ signature so valuable? Jobs was notoriously private and reluctant to sign autographs, making any item bearing his signature incredibly rare and sought after by collectors.
A Stepbrother’s Story
Adding another layer to the story are items recently released by Steve Jobs’ stepbrother,Robert Chovanec. These aren’t just historical artifacts; some feel almost sacred. After Paul Jobs,Steve’s father,died,Steve promised Chovanec’s mother she could live in the family home “until you drop.” Chovanec recalls that jobs, known for his detachment, wasn’t interested in taking anything from the house except a few family photos.
Jobs simply told Chovanec to take the desk and its contents. Chovanec’s mother, Marilyn, lived in the house until her death in 2019, and the desk remained stored in Chovanec’s garage for years. Interestingly, Chovanec began working at Apple in 2005, keeping his relationship to Jobs secret until after he was hired. during his 16-year tenure, spanning supply chain and retail roles, few colleagues knew he was Jobs’ stepbrother. “I felt it was nobody’s business,” he saeid.
The revelation came to light at Jobs’ memorial service at Stanford in 2011,where Chovanec noted some executives gave him questioning looks,as if wondering what he was doing there.
