From classic “grandma’s jewels” to famous ’90s toys and the “number 1 Superman,” plenty of people are searching basements, attics, and crawl spaces for something valuable, whether out of curiosity or to meet an urgent need. However, a good part of that audience ignores the potential of “retro” computers, and only recognizes it after a unit shatters all expectations at an official auction. Would you like to know which are the most valuable old systems? The folks at Sell My Mobile put together a list…
It’s very unlikely that someone invests in technology considering its “vintage” value. In fact, most products don’t have such a long lifespan or durability. Between internal failures, lack of support, build quality issues, and general wear, people don’t think twice before discarding and replacing entire systems. But there are exceptions, and when they come to light… they make a lot of noise.
The people behind Sell My Mobile published last month an article called “Cache in the Attic”, in which they explore the ten most valuable vintage personal computers, using as their main reference their ROI (Return on investment, or “return on investment”). In other words, how much buyers had to pay at launch, and how much they could get today via auction or online sale… as long as a buyer exists.
Sinclair ZX80
Extremely popular thanks to its low price (under a hundred pounds and with months of waiting), the Sinclair ZX80 isn’t exactly rare, but with 40 years under its belt, it’s increasingly hard to find one in excellent condition. (348 dollars, ROI: 74%)
Heathkit H8
One of many me-too products in the era of computers sold as kits in the mid-70s, based on the Intel 8080A. Heathkit arrived a little late to the party, with the market transitioning to assembled systems. It needed a lot of extra hardware. (668 dollars, ROI: 76%)
Acorn Atom
Essentially a trimmed-down version of the Acorn System 3, without a floppy disk drive. From a chronological point of view, it’s the computer that precedes the famous BBC Micro. The Atom lasted barely two years (1980-1982), while the Micro was manufactured until 1994. (403 dollars, ROI: 167%)
IMSAI 8080
No tricks here: It’s the same computer that appears in “WarGames”. The IMSAI 8080 is seen as the “first true clone” of a direct competitor, in this case the Altair 8800. It’s estimated that the number of units manufactured doesn’t exceed 20,000, although there are many replicas… (1,782 dollars, ROI: 197%)
Jupiter Ace
A strange bird for its time. Physically it’s not too far from the classic ZX Spectrum, but the Jupiter Ace distanced itself from the “BASIC legion” by adopting Forth as its programming environment. Its manufacturer went bust in November ’83, and with fewer than 5,000 units sold, they’re a real collector’s item. (455 dollars, ROI: 203%)
ELF II
More than a computer, the ELF II is a “training kit” based on the RCA 1802 processor, heir to the COSMAC ELF described by Popular Electronics between 1976 and 1977, and both “descendants” of the Microkit, Microtutor I and Microtutor II from RCA. (340 dollars, ROI: 240%)
Altair 8800
What more can we add? Its popularity skyrocketed after appearing on the cover of Popular Electronics in January 1975, becoming the spark for the entire personal computer movement. Paul Allen showed that same cover to Bill Gates… and that’s how Microsoft was born. (8,125 dollars, ROI: 1,751%)
SCELBI-8H
First “computer-kit” to hit the market. A creature from 1974, with the Intel 8008 (predecessor of the legendary 8080) as its brain. Combining kits and assembled systems, no more than 150 units were sold. SCELBI found itself making more money selling hardware books… (13,000 dollars, ROI: 2,500%)
Kenbak-1
Some experts present the Kenbak-1 as the “first personal computer”, and it even predates the first processor. Only 40 computers were manufactured. It’s believed that only 14 exist today, in the custody of various collectors. (41,946 dollars, ROI: 5,493%)
Apple-1
The computer that made Apple “Apple”. The one that steals media attention every time it appears at auction. In 2013, the existence of 63 Apple-1s was confirmed, with a total of six working properly. The average value hovers around half a million dollars, with extremes nearing two million. (458,711 dollars, ROI: 68,707%)
Source: Sell My Mobile
