Apple Founding Documents for Auction; $100K+ Expected

We've seen some classic Apple machines auctioned online and fetch quite a sum. Next month, another piece of Apple history is on the auction block. Sotheby's in New York will soon auction off the original founding documents of Apple. The documents establishing the Apple Computer Company are signed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne and are dated April 1, 1976. The pages are expected to sell for between $100,000 and $150,000 at Sotheby's books and manuscripts auction on December 13.

Though you could probably pick either of the two Steves out of a line up with no problems, the third person named in the documents, Ron Wayne, is less recognizable. This is because Wayne, a former co-worker of Jobs at Atari, left Apple 12 days after he signed the papers, cashing out his 10 percent of the company for just $800. In Walter Isaacson's book about the life of Steve Jobs, Wayne is said to have left because while Jobs and Woz had nothing to lose by starting Apple Computer, he had assets that potential creditors could seize should things go wrong. Had he held onto his 10 percent stake in Apple, it would be worth well over $20 billion today.

The documents were apparently acquired from a manuscript dealer that obtained them from Wayne. They include the original contract as well as the amendment that saw Wayne withdraw as partner.

  • JasonAkkerman
    You have got to be freaking kidding me. Of all the thing you could waste your money on...
    Reply
  • Goldengoose
    JasonAkkermanYou have got to be freaking kidding me. Of all the thing you could waste your money on...
    Whoever is buying them i assume bought an apple products in the past so it makes sense.
    Reply
  • soo-nah-mee
    You can't deny the historic value of these documents.
    I'm sure the founding documents for Edsel are worth some money too.
    Reply
  • applefairyboy
    Hmmm...... Feed starving babies..... or ........ buy Apple contracts ......... I'M GONNA BUY THE APPLE CONTRACTS!
    Reply
  • mrmike_49
    how about that Wayne guy though? that's almost funny $800 vs $20,000,000,000
    Reply
  • rawful
    What historic value do these documents have? Honestly? How does spending a huge amount of money on a few pieces of paper make sense? How big of an apple fanboy do you have to be to even want these?

    I would pay up to $50 to have these just so I can take them to an Apple store and pee all over them in front of all the apple fanboys and revel in their tears of sadness.
    Reply
  • memadmax
    .........................................
    Reply
  • theconsolegamer
    Guys, guys, guys..... Do you really think someone would pay $100k for some papers??? I mean really!
    Reply
  • bender3000
    This brings whole new meaning to "overpaying" for the perceived superior value Apple products.
    Reply
  • paulimur
    Does it come with itunes?
    Reply