Sealed original iPhone expected to sell for nearly $100K at auction

A sealed, original iPhone is currently up for auction, with a starting bid of $10,000, and is expected to sell for ten times that figure, at a cool $100k.

An auction that went live today features an original iPhone, sealed in the box from when it was released in 2007. The 4GB model is far rarer than the 8GB version, as the smaller version was phased out much sooner.

Originally launching at $499, the first iPhone did not feature the App Store or video recording. These were both later introduced in updates, with the App Store appearing in 2008. Video recording and photo messaging weren’t brought to the platform until the iPhone 3GS launched.

Tech enthusiasts have been clamoring for a 4GB model, which according to the LCG Auctions founder is “20 times rarer than the 8GB model”. Previous lots featuring sealed original iPhones have sold for a staggering $63,356.40, and LCG Auctions is also running parallel lots for 8GB and 16GB models, too.

LCG Auctions

The starting bid on the original iPhone is asking for a whopping $10,000 and is now expected to surpass previous auctions. Based on the trajectory, it could sell for nearly $100,000 once bidding is over.

Apple found that the 8GB model was much more popular than the smaller version, and introduced a 16GB model. This saw the 4GB model phased out after just a few short months on the market.

iPhone and old tech auctions aren’t new but are growing

As the iPhone approaches its 20th anniversary, there’s a slew of collectors circling auctions and the aftermarket. It’s not uncommon for old tech to go for large sums of cash and other areas of ‘history’ are also seeing massive auctions.

Trading card games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon have seen a surge in high-stake auctions, while sealed copies of Super Mario 64 have been sold for considerable amounts of money.