Apple keeps hiking the price of its brand new iPhones higher and higher with every release, but the fabled iPhone Ultra’s price has got nothing on the dough that one relic has raked in. A first-generation iPhone, still factory sealed, sold for an i-watering $52,797 at LCG Auctions on Sunday evening, with an additional buyer’s premium fee bringing the total sale to a record-breaking $63,356.
Whoever flashed that cash is now the proud owner of an 8GB smartphone with a 3.5-inch display and a 2-megapixel camera – a far cry from current iPhones that boast 6.7-inch displays and 48-megapixel cameras. However, it’s clear that the appeal here is not the hardware, but the historic, technological landmark it represents as the first of its kind (which originally retailed at $599, back in the day).
This apparent goldmine belonged to cosmetic tattoo artist Karen Green, who got it as a gift to congratulate her on starting a new job back in 2007. As the iPhone was originally an AT&T exclusive, it didn’t work with any other carriers at launch. Green wanted to keep her phone line with Verizon at the time, and therefore decided to keep the iPhone in its original packaging.
Little did she know this would turn out to be a solid decision that would leave her bank account looking pretty darn healthy 16 years later. Even then, this price is quite the hike up from the sealed, first-generation iPhone that sold for $39k last year. So be sure to have a rummage through your old tech draw – you never know what type of treasures you’ve got hidden among all those dead batteries and screen protectors.
If you’re looking for something a bit more up-to-date, check out our guides on the best gaming phones and the best gaming iPhone. You can also snap up some hand peripherals with our lists of the best phone cases and the best mobile keyboards in 2023.
