A Never-Opened First-Generation 2007 iPhone Just Sold at Auction for 100 Times Its Original Price

The iconic phone sold for more than a Tesla Model Y.

By Sam Silverman Feb 21, 2023
Eric Slomanson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

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A first-generation, never-opened 2007 iPhone sold at auction last week for $63,356.40, surpassing expectations. (The 15-year-old relic was expected to sell for $50,000.)

The phone, which was listed in early February, was factory-sealed and featured 8 GB of storage and Apple’s original 3.5-inch screen. Bidding started at $2,500.

The sale price was over 100 times more than its original cost of $599.

RELATED: An Unopened 2007 First Generation iPhone Expected to Take in a Whopping $50,000 at Auction

The auction garnered 27 bids, according to the auction house, LCG Auctions. Founder Mark Montero told CNN that 10 buyers duked it out for the pricey mobile. Although it’s unknown who snagged the first-edition phone, Montero told the outlet the buyer was from the United States.

Although the buyer took home a piece of history, the phone’s original owner, Karen Green, is the one who came out on top with a huge payday.

In 2019, Green showed off her prized possession on the show “The Doctor & The Diva,” saying she received the phone as a gift when it was first released, however, she never opened it because she had a Verizon phone plan already and iPhones only operated on AT&T at the time, per Business Insider.

During the show, the phone was appraised by Ph.D. Antiques Appraiser Dr. Lori for $5,000.

Prior to the latest sale, a similar mint-condition iPhone sold at auction in October 2022 for $39,339.60.

RELATED: ‘What a Shame’: A Generation Mourns as Apple Announces It Will Discontinue Beloved Device

A first-generation, never-opened 2007 iPhone sold at auction last week for $63,356.40, surpassing expectations. (The 15-year-old relic was expected to sell for $50,000.)

The phone, which was listed in early February, was factory-sealed and featured 8 GB of storage and Apple’s original 3.5-inch screen. Bidding started at $2,500.

The sale price was over 100 times more than its original cost of $599.

RELATED: An Unopened 2007 First Generation iPhone Expected to Take in a Whopping $50,000 at Auction

The auction garnered 27 bids, according to the auction house, LCG Auctions. Founder Mark Montero told CNN that 10 buyers duked it out for the pricey mobile. Although it’s unknown who snagged the first-edition phone, Montero told the outlet the buyer was from the United States.

Although the buyer took home a piece of history, the phone’s original owner, Karen Green, is the one who came out on top with a huge payday.

In 2019, Green showed off her prized possession on the show “The Doctor & The Diva,” saying she received the phone as a gift when it was first released, however, she never opened it because she had a Verizon phone plan already and iPhones only operated on AT&T at the time, per Business Insider.

During the show, the phone was appraised by Ph.D. Antiques Appraiser Dr. Lori for $5,000.

Prior to the latest sale, a similar mint-condition iPhone sold at auction in October 2022 for $39,339.60.

RELATED: ‘What a Shame’: A Generation Mourns as Apple Announces It Will Discontinue Beloved Device

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Sam Silverman

Content Strategy Editor
Sam Silverman is a content strategy editor at Entrepreneur Media. She specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), and her work can be found in The US Sun, Nicki Swift, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and Health. She writes for our news team with a focus on investigating scandals. Her coverage and expertise span from...

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