Factory Sealed Original iPhone Fetches a Whopping $190K at Auction

An original factory-sealed Apple iPhone, the very first model released in 2007, has shattered records at a recent auction. At the LCG Auctions, an iPhone boasting a mere 4GB of storage, fetched an astounding $190,372.80, breaking existing records.

Earlier in March, a first-generation iPhone surpassed expectations by selling for $54,904, a significant premium over its original retail price of $599.

“Our offering is an exceedingly rare, factory sealed, first-release 4GB model in exceptional condition.  Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with correct seam details and tightness.  Labels on the reverse are correctly pristine beneath the seal.  Outstanding color and gloss.  Brand new, never activated.  The phone’s provenance is pristine as the consignor was part of the original engineering team at Apple when the iPhone first launched,” LCG Auctions wrote about the iPhone 4GB.

The auctioned iPhone, a Factory Sealed Original (First Release, 4GB) model, was sought after for its pristine condition and had been expected to fetch around $50,000-$100,000. However, by the time the bid ended, the 4GB iPhone had raked in $190,372.80 by the bidders.

Another iPhone (8GB) that was part of the same lot in the LCG Auctions fetched just $44,771 and that difference in price makes the 4GB model, all the more rare, especially as a collector’s item.

Experts believe that the surge in demand for vintage iPhones is driven by a number of factors. Firstly, nostalgia plays a significant role, as consumers seek to relive the early days of the smartphone revolution. The iPhone's cultural impact, coupled with its status as a symbol of technological progress, has made it a highly desirable collectible item.

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