Unopened first-generation iPhone set to sell for $50,000 at US auction | Apple

An unopened 2007 first-generation iPhone is expected to sell for more than $50,000 when it goes up for auction on Thursday.

The phone, which has a 2-megapixel camera and 8GB of storage, was given to Karen Green as a gift when she got a new job, Business Insider reported.

But Green already had a new phone, and besides, the iPhone wasn’t compatible with his existing cellular network.

Rather than opening the iPhone, Green stuck it on a shelf. He stayed there, “wrapped up in felt pajamas,” for years.

In October, Green learned that a 2007 first-generation iPhone had sold for $39,339.60.

The cosmetic tattoo artist contacted LCG Auctions, the auction house that handled the sale and found itself inundated with owners of older iPhones.

“We got calls from everyone, but 99% of them didn’t have the same thing,” LCG Auctions founder Mark Montero told Business Insider. “But Karen had a really unique piece with a great story behind it.”

He added: “It was shocking because we had so many misfires.”

LCG Auctions has put a “$50,000+” price estimate on the phone. The auction opens on Thursday and will end on February 19.

The first-generation iPhone was available with 4GB of memory for $499 or 8GB for $599.

“The touchscreen handset will combine internet access and iPod music with an integrated 2-megapixel digital camera and video playback capabilities,” the Guardian reported at the time.

In the decade since its launch, Apple has sold 1.2 billion iPhones, dominating the smartphone market.

In 2019, Green appeared on the TV show Doctor & the Diva, where antiques expert Lori Verderame appraised her iPhone at $5,000.

The price has since risen. Green said she decided to sell the iPhone now to support her fledgling cosmetic tattoo studio in New Jersey.

“If I could wait another 10 years on the phone, I probably would,” Green told Business Insider. “The only reason I’m selling this phone is to support this company.”