It has not yet been auctioned and it is already expected to break records. This Apple Macintosh prototype could reach astronomical bids among collectors and technology enthusiasts, when it is auctioned by the house Bonhamsnext October 23rd.
It is a Twiggy Macintosh and its value ranges between 80,000 and 120,000 dollars (1,553,847 and 2,330,770 Mexican pesos respectively). However, it is estimated that it exceeds that range due to its historical importance. Furthermore, in a previous auction, in 2019, a similar model was sold for more than $150,000, according to iPadized. According to the website from Bonhams, The starting bid will be $65,000. (1,262,482 pesos).
A valuable relic
This 1983 Macintosh prototype owes its “Twiggy” nickname to its 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, which was originally found on the model. Apple Lisa. However, since they are unreliable units, the 3.5-inch ones were chosen.
This prototype survived the mass destruction ordered by Steve Jobs, who wanted to eliminate all traces of the models with the Twiggy reader. There are few prototypes that managed to be saved, and this particular one is in good condition and functional.
According to The Vergethe Twiggy Macintosh up for auction was saved by the developers of the MacWrite word processor. But what makes it even more collectible is the fact that it bears the model number #M0001. This indicates that it was one of the first prototypes produced and that it ties directly into the history of the early development of the Macintosh computer.
Features of the Twiggy Macintosh
Among the main features of the Twiggy prototype are:
- A 5.25-inch floppy drive, a format rarely found on Macintosh.
- A plastic casing that differentiates it from mass-produced Macintoshes and gives it a somewhat more rudimentary appearance.
- Inside the case we can see the signatures of the team members who worked on the development of the Macintosh.
The importance of Macintosh
Launched 40 years ago, on January 24, 1984, the Macintosh computer is considered one of the most influential products in the history of computing. As described Forbes, Macintosh stood out for its friendly design and innovative graphical interface..
This computer was also more compact and faster than the PC released by IBM. This thanks to its processor Motorola MC68000 16/32-bit, which outperformed the Intel 8088 the IBM.
In 1999, Macintosh was renamed simply Mac. Since then it has had a whole range of heirs: the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, as well as the iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro desktops.
