Back in 2007, a 1st-Gen iPhone cost $499 USD (roughly $673 CAD), but fast-forward to 2024, and that same smartphone has recently for about $190,000 USD (approximately $256,490 CAD) when still in a sealed box.
Well, it looks like that might happen again.
An LCG Auctions listing for a factory-sealed 1st-Gen 4GB iPhone is currently up to $11,000 USD (about $14,847 CAD). In the listing, LCG says that previous sealed 1st-Gen iPhones have sold for an astounding $190,373 USD (approximately $256,954 CAD) and $133,435 USD (roughly $180,102 CAD), respectively.
Will this latest 1st-Gen iPhone listing hit that same cost? It’s unclear, but I can see it at least crossing the $100,000 USD (roughly $134,964 CAD) mark. I secretly hope a very wealthy person buys the OG iPhone, opens the box and then just uses it as their main smartphone.
“The original 4GB model is considered a ‘Holy Grail’ amongst iPhone collectors. Its extreme scarcity is directly related to its limited production,” writes LCG in the listing. The auction company then goes on to describe the smartphone as a “blue chip” investment 📈.
While the 1st-Gen iPhone didn’t officially release in Canada, buying the smartphone on the grey market was still possible (back when I was in high school, a friend of mine did exactly that). Apple’s smartphone didn’t officially make its way to Canada until the iPhone 3G in 2008.
Source: LCG Auctions
