Rare Original 4GB iPhone Up for Auction, Could Fetch Over $100,000

In 2007, Apple revolutionized the tech world by launching its first-ever iPhone. Little did they know that groundbreaking smartphones would become a highly-coveted collector's item over 15 years later.

An extremely rare, factory-sealed 4GB version of the original iPhone is hitting the auction block this week at LCG Auctions. It's only the third time this specific 4GB model has been put up for sale, with the previous two fetching staggering prices of $190,000 and $133,000 last year.

The 4GB iPhone was only manufactured briefly after its June 2007 release before Apple discontinued the low-storage option in favour of the 8GB model just two months later. This rarity has made the 4GB version one of the most valuable models from Apple's flagship product line.

As of Thursday morning, the top bid was already at $11,000 after the auction launched with a $10,000 starting bid. However, LCG Auctions estimates that this mint condition, factory-sealed 4GB iPhone will likely sell for over $100,000, given the precedent.

The auctioned iPhone remains sealed in its original packaging from 2007, with bright and crisp printing that shows little signs of fading or ageing over the last 16 years. The box and its contents have never been opened or activated.

While just 4GB of storage seems relatively tiny by today's standards, with base iPhone 15 models offering 128GB, this particular iPhone represents an iconic piece of technology history. It harks back to when Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the iPhone as a game-changer that would "reinvent the phone" at its launch in January 2007. The iPhone quickly became a ubiquitous smash hit, being named Time Magazine's Invention of the Year.

With over a week left in the auction, gadget enthusiasts and deep-pocketed Apple collectors will watch eagerly to see if this rarity breaks the $200,000 threshold.