Think iPhones are expensive? An Apple 1 computer is being auctioned by Christie’s for £500,000

One of the first ever Apple computers is going up for sale at London auction house Christie's – and it's expected to raise as much as £500,000.

Christie's said the rare Apple 1 computer is one of only about 50 in existence. Hand-made by Steves Jobs and Wozniak in their garage, only 200 were ever made. 

It's no wonder, then, that the Apple 1 has a starting price of £240,000, making it the most expensive item in Christie's Seven Centuries of Science online auction.

But does it actually work? Christie's admits it doesn't know. “We assume it could be brought up to working order again … but we recommend a certified engineer attempt this.”  

Or just pay close attention to the instruction manual. A historical document in its own right, the "extremely rare" manual was the first ever issued by Apple. 

The manual was written by the same man who designed Apple’s original logo, Ronald Wayne. Wayne must also go down in history for one of the most unfortunate investment decisions of all time, after he sold his shares in the now $631bn (£406bn) company for $800 (£518).

At over one thousand times that price, the record price for an Apple 1 is £585,495. One of the classic computers was sold at Bonhams last year – it was one of only 50 hand-built by Wozniak in 1976.

If you want to get your hands on a piece of computer history you'd better act fast. Bids for the Apple 1 close on October 29.