An unopened first generation iPhone is expected to exceed $50,000 at a New York auction.
The Apple device - which debuted in 2007 and boasts a 2 megapixel camera and eight GB of storage - has sat untouched on Karen Green’s shelf since she got it as a present when got a new job in the 00s and is now thought to sell for tens of thousands of dollars when it goes up for sale at LCG Auctions on Thursday (02.02.23).
Karen opted not to use the phone - which made the smartphone a widespread phenomenon - because she already had a new phone and the 00s relic didn’t match up with her cell phone provider so it sat “wrapped in a pair of felt pajamas”.
The cosmetic tattoo artist told Business Insider her inspiration for putting it under the gavel was hearing the same phone selling for a whopping $39,339.60 back in October, prompting her to call the auction house, a move mirrored by others but without the real deal.
Mark Montero told the same outlet: “We got calls from everybody but 99% of them didn’t have the same thing. But Karen had a really unique piece with a great story behind it.”
He added: “It was shocking because we had gotten so many duds.”
The auction will run until the 19th February and proceeds will go to supporting Karen’s business - a tattoo parlour in New Jersey -after first getting a valuation of $5,000 from Lori Verderame in 2019 while appearing on ‘Doctor and the Diva’.
She said: “If I could hold off on the phone for like another 10 years, I probably would. The only reason why I’m selling that phone is because I need to support this business.”
