So much for being outrageous and prodigal by splashing thousands of dollars on a gold-encased custom iPhone from Caviar! One unknown collector will pay almost $40,000 for an iPhone, and it’s not even a newer-generation model.
This particular iPhone is a 2007 model, and that’s precisely what makes it so desirable – or “made” it, since it’s no longer available. Offered for auction with LCG Auctions over a two-week event, which allowed bidding throughout the entire period, it’s not just a first-generation model, but also presented in excellent condition, still factory-sealed. It’s a brand-new old phone, if you will.
The phone came with a maximum estimate of $30,000, but bidding got particularly heated in the closing days, as per Apple Insider. A total of 26 bids were placed on the 8GB model, with the hammer dropping at $39,339.60, setting a new record for an iPhone traded at auction. That’s a lot of money to pay for an old phone whose specs would make even a pre-schooler LOL today, but it’s a rarity.
The listing highlighted the still-intact factory seal, the fact that the device was never activated, the “flawless” surface and edges of the box, and its originality (“no aftermarket stickers or UPC labels on this one”) among the features that added to its appeal. These, and the fact that it was a first-gen 8GB model of the phone that revolutionized the industry.
The other rich people with a passion for collecting gadgets who missed the chance on this one and who might feel like waiting for another one to emerge on the specialized market is too much, can always look to the aforementioned Caviar for options. The Russia-based luxury goods customizer has a thing for Apple products – and, more recently, Tesla – and frequently creates limited-edition collections based on the latest-gen iPhones. It won’t be all-original and still virtually new, but at least it will be decked in gold or some other precious metal. If you’re into that kind of thing.
The phone came with a maximum estimate of $30,000, but bidding got particularly heated in the closing days, as per Apple Insider. A total of 26 bids were placed on the 8GB model, with the hammer dropping at $39,339.60, setting a new record for an iPhone traded at auction. That’s a lot of money to pay for an old phone whose specs would make even a pre-schooler LOL today, but it’s a rarity.
The listing highlighted the still-intact factory seal, the fact that the device was never activated, the “flawless” surface and edges of the box, and its originality (“no aftermarket stickers or UPC labels on this one”) among the features that added to its appeal. These, and the fact that it was a first-gen 8GB model of the phone that revolutionized the industry.
The other rich people with a passion for collecting gadgets who missed the chance on this one and who might feel like waiting for another one to emerge on the specialized market is too much, can always look to the aforementioned Caviar for options. The Russia-based luxury goods customizer has a thing for Apple products – and, more recently, Tesla – and frequently creates limited-edition collections based on the latest-gen iPhones. It won’t be all-original and still virtually new, but at least it will be decked in gold or some other precious metal. If you’re into that kind of thing.