The first generation iPhone that is still kept in its original packaging is being auctioned off. The first mobile phone launched by Apple is expected to sell for USD 50,000 .
The iPhone belongs to Karen Green, a tattoo artist from the United States. Green said he got the iPhone as a gift when he started his new job.
But Green already had a new phone, and at the time the iPhone was not compatible with the cellular network he was using. Instead of opening his new gift, Green simply kept the iPhone -- still in its original box complete with plastic seal and unopened -- in the cupboard.
In the last 15 years, Green has considered selling the iPhone several times. In 2019, Green made a guest appearance on the TV show 'Doctor & the Diva' where the iPhone was valued at USD 5,000.
Last year, he heard that there was a first-generation iPhone selling for nearly $40,000. At that time, he was even more serious about selling the antique iPhone because he needed funds to start a tattoo studio business.
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"If I could keep that phone for another 10 years, I probably would," Green said, as quoted by Business Insider, Sunday (5/2/2023).
"The only reason why I'm selling this phone is because I need (money) to support this business," he continued.
Green then contacted LCG Auctions, the auction house that helped sell the first generation iPhone for USD 39,339 in October 2022. However, after the auction, LCG Auctions also received many requests from other older iPhone owners.
"We get calls from everyone, but 99% of them don't have the same thing. But Karen has a very unique unit with an interesting story behind it," said LCG Auctions Founder Mark Montero.
The auction has been opened by LCG Auctions since last Thursday and will close on February 19. LCG Auctions opened a starting price of USD 2,500 but the antique iPhone is estimated to sell for USD 50,000.
The first generation iPhone itself had a 2 MP camera and a 3.5 inch touch screen. This phone was launched in 2007 at a price of USD 499 for the variant with 4GB of internal memory, and USD 599 for the 8GB variant.
