Check out this article in the San Jose Mercury News. I never thought that this would be the result when Ralph Simpson, a volunteer for the History San Jose museum contacted me for tips on bringing up their Apple 1. I put him in touch with Wendell Sander and Dan Kottke and the rest is “news”. Note that there were several Apple 1s present that are not in my registry. Probably an indication of how many are still out there in the wild, unaccounted for.

It also shows why I don’t count working Apple 1s anymore. Ever since it was determined that working 1s were far more valuable than non-working 1’s, everyone is fixing them up. In a way, this is great, as we originally noted that there weren’t many that were operating, anymore. We thought it was a bad thing that so many were not powered up and being used. My point of view has shifted a little bit, since there are quality reproductions out there, that can be operated instead, and the value of the originals has gone through the roof, maybe running those old machines doesn’t make as much sense, as it used to. That said, so far, I haven’t heard of one being damaged by power up, so why not run them and keep them working.

There is another small number that is interesting, though. There are not very many left in the hands of original owners. Original owner, Wendell Sander asked me this question, and I could only come up with a few, though I’m guessing that there are more out there in the “wild”, still in the hands of original owners. I’m not giving a count, but it definitely seems like a small number.

Also Bob Luther is launching a book on the Apple 1. His kickstarter is almost over, but it sounds like it will be available elsewhere, afterward. I was interviewed by one of Bob’s assistants a couple of years ago, so this book has been in the works for a while. It will be interesting to read what Bob has found out about the Apple 1.