How Much Is Your Old Vintage Apple Mac Computer Worth?

Since the passing of Apple's founder, Steve Jobs, in 2011, vintage Macintosh computers are finally seeing a resurgence in popularity. For those of you who decided to keep your old Macs, this is good news for you! Now these charming old machines are fetching a decent penny on eBay and Craigslist.

Below, we'll compare the 1980s sticker price with what it's currently going for. All prices are suggestive.

The original Apple Computer, the Apple I, is considered one of the most valuable and collectable computers in the world. Only 575 units were ever sold, making it the rarest one around. Today, there are only 61 confirmed to exist, only six of which are functional.

In 2013, an Apple 1 sold at Christie's Auction for $390,000. Several have also appeared on eBay over the years, where the highest successful bid was $43,000.

Apple 1 Replica

These often surface on eBay. These are either the 'Replica 1' from Briel Computer or the Newton NTI clone. The value for an unassembled replica hovers around $1,000 for the kit.

During the brief and unsuccessful Apple cloning years, a number of machines emerged using licensed hardware and software. Most were inferior in both performance and quality. Today, their value is difficult to ascertain, as no two clones were truly identical. Many are considered undesirable and sell for just a few hundred dollars, if that.

One of the first successful home computer systems, the Apple II sold from 1977 to 1993. It was their first mass produced personal computer and was released in a number of models, each improving on its predecessor. In total, six million were sold, many going to schools and companies, making it the very first computer available for use in public schools.

A2S1 Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $2,500
Working Condition: Up to $1,000
Broken: Up to $200
Monitor Value: $150
Components: Up to $500

Apple II Plus A2S1048 Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $250
Working Condition: Up to $150
Broken: Up to $100
Monitor Value: $125

Apple IIe Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $400
Working Condition: $35-$300
Broken: Up to $100
Components: $100-$1000

Apple IIc Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $1,000
Working Condition: Up to $460
Broken: Up to $100
Components: $100-$500

Apple IIGS Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $700
Working Condition: Up to $500
Broken: Up to $100
Components: $100-$1,000

Released in 1980, the Apple III attempted to improve on the highly successful Apple II, instead it was a flop. When it was first released, it was very unstable, couldn't function and ultimately had to be recalled and released as the Apple III Revised. Aimed as a business computer, the Apple III came with a then industry standard typewriter keyboard layout. While a stable version was eventually released, the Apple III Plus, its already tainted reputation and the release of IBM's DOS PC ultimately killed the Apple III.

Complete System (Original/Revised)
Mint Condition: Up to $1,000
Working Condition: Up to $650
Broken: Up to $200

Complete System (Plus)
Mint Condition: Up to $650
Working Condition: Up to $150
Broken: Up to $100

Named after Steve Jobs' daughter, Lisa, this was one of the final models released before the introduction of Macintosh in 1984. Aimed at corporations, the computer's hefty price tag of $10,000 in 1984 was considered too great a risk to take and sales were poor. In 1986, the Lisa was renamed the Macintosh XL and fitted with an emulator to run Mac OS.

Complete System (Lisa)
Mint Condition: Up to $3,800
Working Condition: Up to $2,500
Broken: Up to $700

Complete System (Macintosh XL)
Mint Condition: Up to $1,000
Working Condition: Up to $700
Broken: Up to $300

Part Out Value
Components: $325 - $500
Manuals & Documents: Up to $375
Most Valuable Part: Internal Hard Drive

Internal Hard Drive Value: Up to $100

The upgraded Lisa is rarer and worth approximately 20% more.

Released in January 1984 as the very first Macintosh, the 128k was the first personal computer to feature a Graphic User Interface, a basic feature that would define home computing for decades to come. The 128k was also the first to feature a 3.5" floppy disk drive. Adding to its collector's value is the travel case that came with every 128k. Complete, non-upgraded systems, with original packaging, manuals, software disks, and travel case, will easily fetch $2,000+ on eBay.

M0001 Complete Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $2,700
Working Condition: Up to $650
Broken: $20 -$35

Part Out Value
Parts and Components: $100 - 300
Most Valuable Component: Internal Floppy Drive*

* The grease originally used to lubricate the internal floppy drive may solidify after 30 years of non-use, rendering the drive useless. Soaking the drive in an acetone bath overnight will restore the drive to working order!

Identical to the 128k with the exception of its expanded memory, the 512k 'Fat Mac' was discontinued in 1986 when it was replaced by the 512ke.

Today, a functioning external floppy drive is highly collectable with an average selling price of $200.

512k Complete Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $900
Working Condition: Average $200
Broken: $25
Parts and Accessories: $150

512ke Complete Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $200
Working Condition: $99
Broken: $5
Parts and Accessories: $150

Apple's first expandable Macintosh, the Plus introduced the SCSI port to allow for a multitude of external additions. It was sold to academia as the Mac ED.

Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $800
Working Condition: Up to $500
Broken: Up to $100

Released alongside the Mac II, expansion was primary capability of the SE series. It's new updated case came with an expansion slot for either a second internal floppy or hard drive.

Complete Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $500.00
Average Selling: $250.00
Broken Selling: $10 - $75.00

Part Out Value
Parts and Components: $200 - $250
Most Valuable Component: Ethernet Network Card upgrade

Apple Macintosh SE/30

Complete Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $875.00
Average Selling: $250.00
Broken Selling: $10 - $75.00

Part Out Value
Parts and Components: $200 - $250
Most Valuable Component: Ethernet Network Card upgrade

Ethernet Network Card Information
Model: Asante Ethernet 10 Base T*
Average Selling Price: $35

*The card was a third party upgrade package sold between 1990 and 1992. It will still allow an SE/30 to communicate with most modern networks.

Built to replace the SE/30, the Classic II was the last of the Black & White Compact Macs. Whopping fast at 16 MHz with an 80 Mb hard drive and 10 Mb of RAM. It was also the last model to include an external drive port.

Apple officially discontinued support for the Classic II in 2001, ten years after its introduction.

Complete Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $350
Average Selling: Up to $150
Broken Selling: $40

Apple's very first battery powered computer, the portable was a total failure when it was released in 1989. It was heavy, slow, expensive, and had no expansion capabilities. While voted one of the worst tech gadgets of all time, the Portable holds the title as the first computer to ever send an email from space.

Its overall collector's value lies in its batteries. The original lead-based batteries are no longer made, and like a car battery, permanently fail if depleted completely due to inactivity or neglect. Units that still function today often have rebuilt batteries or have been modified to use lithium-ion batteries of the same voltage.

Complete System (w/ Rebuilt Batteries):
Mint Condition: Up to $1,000
Working Condition: Up to $700
Broken: $40-$100

Part Out Value: $500

Apple's bottom-rung inaugural powerbook released in 1991 that would become the foundation of all Macbooks over the next twenty years. This particular model lacked CPU, RAM, and expansions that its two running mates had including a floppy drive. It has since been named the 10th greatest personal computer of all time.

Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $500
Working Condition: Up to $150
Broken: $10-$50

A multi-colored edition Powerbook 170, the JLPGA was built as a commemorative for the 1992 JLPGA Golf Tournament in Japan. Underneath the flashy facade were the workings of a basic Powerbook 170. It was never intended to be a powerful machine but what makes it valuable is that only 500 were ever produced.

Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $9,000
Working Condition: Up to $7,000
Broken: Up to $1,000

To date, the JLPGA is the only PowerBook 170 worth some serious coin. The typical value of a standard dark grey model is less than $250.

Apple's first color compact Macintosh, the Color Classic ultimately set the stage for the iMac. Essentially a Performa platform computer inside a retro Mac body, even today the Classic has a cult following not seen since the original Macintosh. Some Color Classics have been modified to include an ethernet card that can still connect to broadband networks.

Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $600
Working Condition: Up to $300
Broken: Up to $100
Components: Up to $500

Intended as a collector's edition computer to celebrate Apple's 20th anniversary, this system sold for $10,000 new.

Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $1,000
Working Condition: Up to $650
Broken: $100-$140

Part Out Value: $500

Released as a limited edition in 1993, the Macintosh TV was one of the few desktops ever released in black and Apple's first attempt at computer-television integration. Equipped with a cable TV ready tuner card and a television monitor, the TV could switch from a computer to a television set in a matter of seconds and even came with a remote control. Yet it was incapable of recording live video, only still frames. Its poor processor speed and other limitations made the unit a failure and ultimately only 10,000 were sold.

Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $500
Working Condition: Up to $350
Broken: Up to $100

Part Out Value: $150 - $300

Most Valuable Component: TV Tuner Card

Released in 1993, the 840av stood apart from the rest of the 800 series because it included RCA composite video/audio ports and an S-Video port. The 840av was also the first to come with an internal CD Drive, stereo output, and video recording capabilities.

Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $1,100
Working Condition: Up to $310
Broken: Up to $100

Part Out Value: $150 - $500

One of many early 90s era computers prior to Steve Jobs' return to the company in 1997. Values include 900 and 950 models.

Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $350
Working Condition: Up to $250
Broken: Up to $100

Part Out Value: $150 - $500

Before the Mac Mini, there was the G4 Cube, Apple's first attempt to build a small profile desktop computer. Unfortunately, it was a flop. Its limited capabilities and uncomfortably high price tag forced the Cube into the grave after just one year. The model was unofficially replaced by the Mac Mini. Despite its failure, the Cube did gain a cult following similar to that of 80s Macs.

Complete System
Mint Condition: Up to $600
Working Condition: $200-$350
Broken: Up to $100

Developed in 1994, the QuickTake series was one of the very first product lines of digital cameras. Considered a marketing failure at the time, its rarity makes this device highly prized by collectors.

Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $200
Working Condition: Up to $100
Broken: Up to $20

Made famous by Sex and the City, the black G3 series laptops were the fastest available when they were launched in 1997. The were the first of Apple's laptops to feature the G3 processor.

Complete System (Kanga)
Mint Condition: Up to $150
Working Condition: $100
Broken: Less than $10

Complete System (Wallstreet I & II)
Mint Condition: Up to $175
Working Condition: $120
Broken: Less than $20

Complete System (Bronze Keyboard)
Mint Condition: Up to $100
Working Condition: $75
Broken: Less than $20

Complete System (Pismo)
Mint Condition: Up to $200
Working Condition: $150
Broken: $50

Being twenty years ahead of its time made the Newton a flop at its initial release. It was capable of nearly everything the iPad would later do, including word processing, phone calls, internet browsing, games, and more. The most valuable variant was a special clear case edition.

Original MessagePad Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $1,400
Working Condition: Up to $350
Broken: Up to $100

MessagePad 100 Complete System:
Mint Condition: Up to $560
Working Condition: Up to $350
Broken: Up to $100

*The price of Newton MessagePads tend to roller coaster on eBay. As of 2015, values are considerably less than they were in 2011.

In 2007, Apple released the original iPhone and changed the way we looked at cell phones. The 1st generation iPhone, now obsolete, can fetch a staggering amount on eBay, depending on condition. Factory sealed units with original gift bags and receipts can sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

4GB Unit:
Early Serial No: Up to $15,000
Mint Condition: Up to $9,500
Working Condition: Up to $600
Broken: $45 - $150

8GB Unit:
Mint Condition: Up to $9,500
Working Condition: Up to $600
Broken: $25 - $150

Remember, not every Macintosh is jackpot. Many unremarkable models exist today worth just a few hundred dollars or less, for a multitude of reasons:

1. The model was neither revolutionary in concept or function or just simply a filler model to build out the Apple product line. These were particularly common in the years leading up to Steve Jobs' return in 1997.
2. The model was so mass produced that more than 60% of all units still exist today.
3. Servers or other industrial configured models stripped it of all consumer functionality.
4. Not enough time has passed for it to be considered a worthwhile collector's item. With the exception of the iPhone 1 and a few others, most collectable machines are 30 years or older.

Systems Worth $150 or Less

The following systems are currently worth $150 or less, regardless of condition, in the current eBay market:

• Centris 650
• iMac G3 Biege or Color
• iMac Dome & Swivel
• Imaginewriter Printer
• Imaginewriter II Printer
• LCIII
• Macintosh 512Ke
• Macintosh IISi
• Macintosh Performa 600
• Macintosh Performa 636
• Macintosh Performa LC 520
• Newton eMate 300
• Power Macintosh 9600/200
• Power Macintosh 7500/100
• Quadra 605
• Quadra LC 630
• Quadra 700

2010, yet another milestone year for Apple with the release of the iPad. Against all predictions of certain failure, the iPad's success ushered in the beginning of the tablet era of computing. The 1st generation iPad established screen sizing and control placement that would make up every generation since. Factory sealed units with early serials numbers can fetch a decent amount if the timing is right.

16 GB Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $1,350
Working Condition: $150 - $710
Broken: $45 - $200

32 GB Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $700
Working Condition: $75 - $325
Broken: $5 - $50

64 GB Unit
Mint Condition: Up to $600
Working Condition: Up to $300
Broken: $2 - $40

Not every vintage computer is a jackpot. Some models happen to sell better than others. A Mac 128k, for example, can fetch well over $2,000 on eBay while its newer cousin the 512k will fetch only $500. Sentimental value is not the same as resale value. Dozens of listings go unsold because of a ridiculous price of say $10,000 for an old, unremarkable machine that has no accessories or desirables.

There are several factors to take into account when listing your vintage Mac:

• First is condition: Does it work? Naturally, a working computer will sell for more than a broken one.
• Secondly, what you include with it will also help determine its value. A listing that includes a keyboard, mouse, original install disks, and software will attract a better price than a listing for a computer body by itself.
• There is absolutely no guarantee you will hit a high selling bid. Like all auctions, it is risky and can be as big of a disappointment as it could be a jackpot. Sellers beware!

Part Out vs. Complete System
Some computer models are actually worth more in parts. A Mac SE/30 may only fetch $100 as a complete unit but could fetch nearly $400 in parts. Certain parts are highly prized (like the internal floppy drive, the ram, etc.).

Upgrade kits are very valuable today. Different economics applied to computers in those days. The thought of buying a new computer every two years was unheard of, so the idea was that you bought it, made repairs as needed, and kept it until it completely wore out. Macs were originally designed to be upgraded rather than replaced. By the late 80s, it became apparent that hardware limitations impeded upgrades and by the early 90s, Apple abolished upgrading altogether.

Research what your computer has and it will help determine whether it is worth more as a complete unit or as a parts box. The prices contained on this page are based on successful eBay listings, not unsold listings. In other words, anyone can ask for $10,000 for a Mac Plus, but nobody's going to pay that much for it.

How to Format Your Listing

The type of auction you choose greatly improves or reduces your chances for a successful sale. When setting up your listing, use the following:

1. Auction Style listings for vintage computers have a 95% success rate. A Buy-It-Now, even with a low price, will actually hurt your chances of maximizing profit.
2. 3 Day Auction: A quick sale is a good sale. Bidding stops after three days.
3. Bullet Lists keep it short, sweet, and simple. Vintage computers sell really well on eBay Mobile. Write your listing keeping that tiny cell phone screen in mind. Avoid writing paragraphs of information, as a long listing will actually deter an impulse buyer.
4. Pictures, Pictures, Pictures! The more pictures you have, the greater your chances of a sale!