A first-generation iPod that was purchased in 2001 and never opened sold for a record-breaking $29,000 at auction.
The formerly futuristic relic of music history was listed on Rally, a platform that allows investors to buy shares of rare collectibles.
According to the Rally listing, “This iPod was originally purchased for $399 + tax in December 2001 at Willowbrook Mall in Plano Texas, at an Apple Store that was actually opened just before the iPod release. Its original owner received it as a Christmas gift, and the iPod was placed unopened on a closet shelf, where it sat for almost two decades.”
The still-sealed device was originally split into 5,000 shares at $5 a piece, totaling $25,000. A single collector made an offer to buyout all shares of the iPod for $29,000, which was accepted in July. The profit will be distributed amongst investors.
Apple discontinued the iPod in 2022, more than 20 years after the gadget revolutionized the way we listen to music. Released at a time when digital music was still in its early days and MP3 players were just becoming popular, the iPod emerged as a superior music listening device that could hold “up to 1,000 CD-quality songs into an ultra-portable, 6.5-ounce design that fits in your pocket.” The device also encouraged a different kind of music consumption, prompting consumers to purchase personally-owned copies of individual songs and albums and curate personalized playlists of their favorite tunes.
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