Auction prices for original Apple iPhones have been surging since 2022 and the next big auction prize fight is set for 20 March, 2025 where we expect the US$190,000 record iPhone price to be challenged yet again. Here's why
The original 2007 Apple iPhone kickstarted the smartphone market, catalyzing the fastest adoption of any product in history.
In 2024, 1.24 billion smartphones were shipped, and the world just passed 5 billion users, meaning two out of three humans now carry a smartphone.
The world has been in the throes of an information revolution ever since the iPhone arrived, and the smartphone appears to have become humanity’s personal computing platform of choice for the foreseeable future. That makes the first one more valuable.
The “information age” had been building for decades, but a new era for humanity began on 9 January 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone at MacWorld San Francisco.
The iPhone hit stores on 29 June 2007, with a retail price of $499 for the 4GB version and $599 for the 8GB version. The 4GB version is now the more valuable of the two, because it is rarer – it was discontinued due to poor sales after just a few months, largely because everyone wanted the 8GB version.
With such an important role in the history of civilization being gradually bestowed upon the smartphone over the 17 years since the 4GB and 8GB iPhones hit the market, there had to be a point where yesterday’s hand-me-downs (maybe even throw-aways) became important historical firsts … and with the historical importance growing with the greater adoption of smartphones every year since, the penny had to drop sooner or later.
The light bulb appears to have flashed on for the world’s collectors in August 2022 when an original iPhone set a world record price of $35,414. It made world news.
The record jumped to $39,339 in October 2022, $63,356 in February 2023 and the current benchmark of $190,373 was set on 16 July 2023.
The $190,000 price is no longer such an outlier, as 4GB iPhones have sold for $130,027, $133,435, and $147,286 in the ensuing 18 months, and on 20 March 2025 we think that Remarkable Rarities is in with a chance of breaking the record once more with this phone.
Perhaps even more importantly, there are two 8GB models still sealed in their original Apple plastic wrap crossing the block at the same auction (here and here) and 8GB models are now also surging in value, and an Apple 8GB iPhone I might make a better-informed choice if you wish to stash an heirloom for the clan.
Remember it’s only 17 years since the smartphone revolution began, and there will be far greater historic perspective on the societal gravitas of the smartphone well within the lifetime of our readership – and there aren’t a lot of 8GB models either.
Our bet is that any original 2007 8GB iPhone still in its box, sealed or not, will be worth a king’s ransom a century from now.
Just as the prices of Toyota’s 2012 LFA supercar at auction tentatively rose due to the limited (50-only) numbers of the Nurburgring Edition, and we all watched in fascination as a Japanese car broke the million-dollar barrier for the first time in 2022, breahing the barrier paved the way for higher prices across the LFA range.
The smart money went on the 450 standard LFA supercars, which cost a lot less, and followed the Nurburgring Limited Edition past the magic million dollar number in 2024 – in the end, they offer much better return on investment (ROI). They used the same rising tide of the flagship to appreciate at a remarkable rate.
Since the 4GB 2007 iPhone astonished the world when it sold for $35,414 in August 2022, 8GB models have sold for $63,356, $55,999, $54,904, $53,725, $39,339, $37,663, and $35,414.
RRAuction is emerging as the dominant digital memorabilia, games and computer history auctioneer in the global marketplace, and the company’s annual Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution auction held each March has been consistently smashing auction records for a decade.
This year it's extra special because a significant collection of rare prototype computers will sell, and it will bring out the heavy hitters, so more people have consigned and ... the number of technological firsts is almost overwhelming ... these are keepsakes that will one day be priceless family heirlooms or the foundation of a museum. They should appreciate significantly in value for the foreseeable future.
The greater breadth of computer history memorabilia the auction attracts each year has resulted in it becoming an important destination for history collectors, and this year’s array of goodies include an extensive collection of Apple computer prototypes, an original Apple-I computer ($300,000+), an original Apple-I user manual ($10,000+), and a signed Steve Jobs business card.