A U.S. recycling firm sold an on Apple I computer that was recently donated by an unidentified woman. The machine was part of the first batch of computers assembled by Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and a collector bought it for $200,000.
Now Victor Gichun, vice president of Clean Bay Area, is searching for the angel who had unloaded her unused electronic gadgets last April not knowing that among the junks she passed on was a device worth hundreds of thousands.
The donor's identity is unknown. She turned over her antiquated gizmos in exchange for nothing, Gichun told the San Jose Mercury News. The mystery woman did not even demanded a tax receipt thus giving Gichun little clue on her identity.
Gold find
It turned out that the woman gave away a piece of history - an Apple I that Jobs and Wozniak had put together in 1976. Only 200 of the machines were ever produced and the one that Gichun got hold fetched $200,000.
The half of the money is now reserved to the donor per the company rules strictly observed by Clean Bay Area. The mystery woman can get the $100,000 check anytime, Gichun said.
The company official also remembered that the woman had recently lost the husband, who likely was the actual owner of the Apple 1 machine. Gichun figured that the widow could make use of the little windfall that resulted when she decided to clean out her garage.
Identity hints
Without name, phone number or other contact details attached to the donor, finding her seems next to impossible. Gichun, however, is optimistic that the check his company has prepared will find its way to the authentic recipient. For one, he knows that the woman drove an SUV when she dropped by one Friday last April.
Gichun also stressed that he will know in the event the donor surfaces. "I remember her ... I just need to look at her," the executive told the Mercury News.
