Steve Jobs’ first Apple cheque for $500 heads to auction, expected to fetch $500,000

As Apple approaches its 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026, early documents and objects from the company’s formative years are being offered for sale in a US-based auction, highlighting renewed interest in Apple’s origins.

The auction, titled Steve Jobs & the Computer Revolution: The Apple 50th Anniversary Auction, is being conducted by RR Auctions and includes close to 200 items linked to Apple’s early operations and to co-founder Steve Jobs.

Among the items is what is described as Apple’s first issued cheque, dated March 16, 1976. The cheque, signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, was issued to Howard Cantin, who worked on the Apple-1 circuit board. The document predates Apple’s formal incorporation and has attracted bids in the six-figure range, with an estimated sale value of around $500,000.

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Also included is a $125 cheque issued to early investor Elmer Baum, reflecting the repayment of an early loan extended to the company. Auction material notes that such early financing played a role in sustaining Apple during its initial stages.

The sale features what is believed to be Apple’s earliest bank record, a Wells Fargo statement from March 1976 that lists the company’s first deposits and expenses. The document provides insight into Apple’s financial activity before its commercial expansion.

Hardware-related items include an Apple-1 prototype board, used during the development of the company’s first computer. The auction also lists personal objects connected to Jobs, including a desk from his bedroom in the Los Altos garage associated with Apple’s early work, along with personal documents and household items.

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Additional lots include early Apple promotional material, personal music tapes owned by Jobs, and items from his childhood.

The auction is being held as Apple nears its 50-year milestone, drawing attention to the company’s early operational and financial history.