Woman tried to recycle rare Apple I computer, and now recycler wants to give her $100k

A mystery woman tried to recycle an Apple I computer

(Image credit: Twitter@mercnews)

last updated 1 June 2015

Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ron Wayne made only about 200 Apple I computers back in 1976, and in April, one of them was dropped off to be recycled at Clean Bay Area, an electronics disposal company in Milpitas, California. About two weeks after a woman dropped off the box, saying she was cleaning out the garage after her husband died, the crew at Clean Bay Area discovered the rare computer and subsequently sold it for $200,000. Now, per company policy, they would like to find the lady and give her half of the haul.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.