Apple check signed by Steve Jobs sells for whopping $2.4M
What's the story
An Apple check signed by the company's co-founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, has fetched a staggering $2.4 million at an auction this week. The check, which was originally worth $500, sold for 4,800 times its original value. The historic document was issued to printed circuit board designer Howard Cantin shortly after Jobs and Wozniak opened Apple's first bank account in March 1976.
Historical importance
'Most important financial document in Apple history'
The check, dated March 16, 1976, and issued by Wells Fargo, is marked "No. 1." It was issued a few weeks before Apple Computer was officially founded on April 1, 1976. Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction, called it "the most important financial document in Apple history." He said it captures Jobs and Wozniak's first true business transaction and that collectors recognized its significance above any other Apple material ever brought to market.
Contribution
Cantin's role in Apple's early days
Cantin, who received the check, was instrumental in converting Wozniak's Apple-1 schematic into a manufacturable printed circuit board. This work led to the creation of Apple's first commercial product. The sale of this check highlights not just its monetary value but also its historical significance in the evolution of one of the world's most successful tech companies.