Apple Archive Auctioned: Historic Founding Document Set to Shatter Records
A priceless artifact in technology history—the founding agreement of Apple Computer Company—is set to go under the hammer this January. The document is estimated to fetch between $200,000 and $400,000, potentially becoming the most expensive Apple collectible ever auctioned. Reported by 9to5Mac.
Christie’s Auction House in New York announced that the three-page agreement, signed in 1976, marks the formal establishment of Apple Computer Company. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ron Wayne signed the document as 45%, 45%, and 10% shareholders, respectively. Shortly thereafter, Wayne sold his stake for $800, relinquishing his share just days later.
Christie’s confirmed that the founding agreement along with Wayne’s withdrawal agreement will be auctioned together as a single lot on January 23, 2026.
Wayne’s decision is widely considered one of history’s most expensive mistakes. Had he retained his share, its value today would be approximately $400 billion.
In recent years, rare Apple memorabilia have frequently appeared at auctions: a fully operational Apple-1 computer sold for $375,000; a Steve Jobs-signed Apple II manual fetched $787,000; and a check signed by Jobs sold for four times its estimated value. The upcoming auction of the founding agreement is expected to surpass all previous records.
DBTech/BMT/OR
