An unopened first-generation 2007 iPhone is expected to sell for over $50,000 when it comes out auction Thursday.
The phone, which has a 2-megapixel camera and 8GB of storage, was given to Karen Green when she got a new job, Business Insider reported. reported.
But Green already had a new phone, and besides, the iPhone wasn’t compatible with his existing cellular network.
Instead of opening the iPhone, Green placed it on a shelf. There he remained, “wrapped in felt pajamas,” for years.
In October, Green heard that a 2007 first-generation iPhone had sold for $39,339.60.
The cosmetic tattoo artist contacted LCG Auctions, the auction house that handled the sale, and was inundated with owners of vintage iPhones.
“We got calls from everyone, but 99% of them didn’t have the same problem,” LCG Auctions founder Mark Montero told Business Insider. “But Karen had a really unique piece with a great story behind it.”
He added: “It was shocking because we had received so many flops.”
LCG Auctions put an estimated price of “$50,000 and up” on the phone. The auction opens on Thursday and will end on February 19.
The first generation iPhone was available with 4 GB of memory for $499 or 8 GB for $599.
“The touchscreen phone will combine Internet access and iPod music with an integrated 2-megapixel digital camera and video playback features,” The Guardian reported at the time.
In the decade after its launch, Apple sold 1.2 billion iPhones, dominating the smartphone market.
In 2019, Green appeared on the TV show Doctor & the Diva, where antiques appraiser Lori Verderame valued her iPhone at $5,000.
The price has gone up since then. Green said she decided to sell the iPhone now to support her fledgling cosmetic tattoo studio in New Jersey.
“If I could put up with the phone for another 10 years, I probably would,” Green told Business Insider. “The only reason I’m selling that phone is because I need to support this business.”
