Apple’s 1976 Founding Contract Set for Auction, Estimated at Up to $4 Million
The original partnership agreement that launched Apple Computer Company back in 1976 is heading to auction next year. Signed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, this three-page document outlines the company’s early structure and marks the start of what became a major tech company. Reports from Moneycontrol, LIGA.net, and others highlight how it captures the garage beginnings of Apple, with estimates now placing its value between $2 million and $4 million.
What the Document Shows
This agreement, typed by Wayne on his IBM typewriter, divided ownership with 45% each to Jobs and Wozniak, and 10% to Wayne, who handled the administrative side. Wayne’s role didn’t last long—he pulled out just 12 days later over fears of financial risk, getting $800 initially (about $4,500 in today’s dollars) and another $1,500 to fully dissolve his stake. As India Today notes, that 10% share would be worth hundreds of billions today if he’d held on, though Apple’s structure has changed so much that it’s more of a what-if story than a straight calculation.
Wayne later sold his personal copy of the contract for just $500, a move he regretted, according to a 2016 BBC interview mentioned in the Moneycontrol piece. The document itself, with faded signatures from all three, stands as an important piece of Silicon Valley history, showing how a simple partnership kicked off Apple’s rise from homemade computers to global dominance.
Auction Breakdown
Christie’s in New York will auction the contract and Wayne’s withdrawal papers as one lot on January 23, 2026, during their “We the People: America at 250” event, which celebrates U.S. innovation milestones. Details from Digit and The Hans India confirm the $2 million to $4 million pre-sale estimate, building on its last sale in 2011 for $1.5 million, as covered by India Today.
- Date and Location: January 23, 2026, at Christie’s Rockefeller Center in New York.
- What’s Included: The 1976 partnership agreement plus Wayne’s exit documents.
- Estimate: $2–4 million, driven by collector demand for Apple artifacts—like a sealed first-gen iPhone that sold for $190,000 in 2023, per Digit.
- Previous High: Sold for $1.5 million in 2011.
As Hypebeast points out, this lot gives buyers a direct link to Apple’s origin, blending business history with tech legend. Bids could push it higher, given the buzz around early Apple items.
