Exceedingly rare unopened first generation, first release original Apple iPhone, Model A1203, Part No. MA501LL/A (4GB), Serial No. 7R72880AVR0. The box features a life-size image of the iPhone with twelve icons on the screen, indicating that it is from the earliest production (2007); a 13th icon, for iTunes, came later in the year. The 4GB iPhone is the rarest of all original iPhones, as it was discontinued by Apple on September 5, 2007, just over two months after the pioneering product's debut. Priced at $499, the 4GB iPhone model encountered lackluster sales as most consumers opted for the $100 upgrade to double its storage capacity to 8GB. In brand new, factory-sealed condition, with a few pulls and marks to the plastic wrap, including a small rip to the front of the wrap.
Original, sealed Apple products have seen a dramatic increase in interest from collectors in recent years, with iPhones regularly achieving new record prices. Although we have offered several sealed 8GB iPhones, this is just the third sealed 4GB model we have encountered. It is considered the 'holy grail' of all modern Apple items—a similar example attracted worldwide media attention when it sold for over $190,000 at another auction in July 2023.