The solved riddle of the serial number

For 45 years there were discussions and searches for the originator of the serial number. Never was a forensic analysis carried out. The value of the Apple-1 alone makes this investigation time-consuming and expensive. To be sure, Achim Baqué flew in November 2021 from Germany to Los Angeles (USA) with two original Apple-1s. Both were examined and the result is clear. In January 2022 he flew again to L.A. to take the Apple-1 and the certificates of authenticity back home.

The serial number is Steve Jobs' handwriting! The 45-year-old mystery is solved. Another legacy of Steve Jobs.
Read the short or detailed story.

Not on every Apple-1 computer is a serial number!
Some (not all!) Apple-1 of the 1^st batch have a handwritten number on the back which is obviously a serial number. None of the 2^nd batch (also called 'NTI' Apple-1) have a serial number.
List of all known serial numbers on the back of some 1^st batch Apple-1.

There were many theories surrounding this number. Only Apple-1 computers sold by the Byte Shop seems to have this number. But nobody remembers where the number really comes from. Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, Daniel Kottke, Paul Terrell, the board manufacturer etc. all say that they didn't put the number on the mainboard. For a factory it would be very unusual to write a serial number magic marker on a pcb. Usually it was printed on the board or a label was used.

Here is a list of all known serial numbers on the back of some 1^st batch Apple-1.

The Byte Shop theory seemed to be plausible. But why do numbers greater than 50 exist? Mike Willegal found an explanation. Data Domain Computer had purchased Apple-1 computers directly from the Byte Shop. Mike asked Thom Hogan (Data Domain Computer) about this. At that time, Data Domain Computers had found a practical application. One was at the Kentucky Derby.
Ray Borrill, the owner of Data Domain, bought 15 Apple-1. Probably more later. They sold 13 Apple-1, 1 was donated to the US Olympic tennis team and destroyed in a plane crash. The last one was auctioned in 2001.

The sale of Apple-1 to Data Domain Computers by the Byte Shop explains the higher numbers quite well.

There are computers whose serial number is greater than 50. That is not a contradiction. The Byte Shop got more than just the 50 and sold some Apple-1 to Data Domain Computers.

The handwritten numbers on the back of some Apple-1 computers, apparently representing a serial number, were the biggest unsolved mystery surrounding Apple's first computer. Only 100 and a short time later another 100 Apple-1s were produced and perhaps around 80 still exist. This serial number can be found on some Apple-1s from the first batch.

The Apple-1 is the rarest and the most valuable microcomputer in the world. Achim Baqué, who maintains the Apple-1 Registry (a listing of all Apple-1 computers) has spent several years researching and collecting handwriting samples. Two forensic examinations in the USA using original Apple-1s have now confirmed that Steve Jobs actually wrote the serial number on the first Apple-1. Another legacy of Steve Jobs.

Germany - February 10, 2022

The handwritten numbers on the back of some Apple-1 computers, apparently representing a serial number, were the biggest unsolved mystery surrounding Apple's first computer. The Apple-1 is the most valuable microcomputer in the world.

Only 200 Apple-1 computers were produced in two batches of 100. Perhaps around 80 still exist. Only some of the 1^st batch have a handwritten serial number on the back. The majority of the first series Apple-1s were sold to the Byte Shop.

Only a few people came into contact with the entire first production of Apple-1 computers in 1976. Steve Wozniak had always said that he did not write the serial numbers. Daniel Kottke does also not remember. The mainboard manufacturer would have used at least a label.

Since 2015, Achim Baqué wanted to solve the mystery and find the originator of the handwriting. Achim Baqué is the curator of the Apple-1 Registry, an avid collector of vintage computers and owns several Apple-1 computers. The Apple-1 Registry is a listing of all known Apple-1 computers.

Some research and correspondence with people from the first days of Apple followed. Handwriting samples of Steve Wozniak, employees of the first Byte Shop and others showed even a layman that they had not written the numbers. During one of the visits to Daniel Kottke, Achim Baqué asked for writing samples of Daniel and Steve Jobs. Daniel owns some postcards and letters from Steve Jobs from the 70s. These documents contain many numbers.

Letters handwritten by Steve Jobs and his signatures always achieve record results at auctions. The interest is accordingly large. Therefore, one must be careful with such assumptions. It requires a forensic expert opinion as evidence.

End of 2021 Achim Baqué asked PSA in Santa Ana (California, USA) to do two forensic analysis of the handwritten numbers. PSA is one of the most renowned companies for sports card evaluation and forensic handwriting comparisons. PSA has many handwriting samples of Steve Jobs and already performed analyses of his handwriting.

Two original Apple-1s were personally transported from Germany to Los Angeles (USA) for examination in November 2021 and remained there until January 2022. In addition, PSA received images of all handwritten numbers from Apple-1 computers and further handwriting samples.

After 45 years it could be clarified that it is a further legacy of Steve Jobs. Many owners of an original Apple-1 can be happy not only to own one of the rarest and most valuable computers in the world. Now they also have the personal touch of Steve Jobs' handwriting.

So far, 29 Apple-1 are known to have a serial number on the back (as off Feb 10 2022). The curator of the Apple-1 Registry has contact to 21 of them. Hopefully, all Apple-1 owners are now encouraged to contact the Apple-1 Registry.

Why wasn't a forensic analysis done earlier? First of all, original Apple-1 and handwriting samples are needed. A photo is not enough. Last but not least, the investigation is very expensive.

As a speaker, I was invited to talk about the Apple-1 registry at an event prior to World Computer Day on February 15, 2022. I told Jim Scherrer of the Compuseum that I had the results of two forensic examinations of the handwritten serial number on some Apple-1s. And I would know who wrote them. He was excited and encouraged me to speak about it.

There were only 9 speakers, and what an honor to speak at the same event with people like Bill Mensch, Bill Herd, Al Charpentier and many others. I never felt so small.

During the session Jim asked me to speak about the Apple-1 Registry. Even at that moment I was unsure if I should publish it now. The update of the registry, a press report was already ready, but not uploaded. While talking about the Apple-1 Registry I thought 'why not'?

After the zoom session I updated the websites and contacted all owners of an original Apple-1 with a serial number. Of the so far 29 known Apple-1 with serial number I have contact to 21.

Hopefully, now every Apple-1 owner will contact me and share information about their Apple-1. Everything can be published or I can keep it confidential and just preserve the information and history. Only 9 speakers and what an honor to talk at the same event with people like Bill Mensch, Bill Herd, Al Charpentier and many others. During the session Jim asked me to talk about the Apple-1 Registry. Even at that moment I was unsure if I should publish it now. The update of the registry, a press report was already ready, but not uploaded. While talking about the Apple-1 Registry I thought 'why not'?

After the zoom session I updated the websites and contacted all owner of an original Apple-1 with a serial number. Of the so far 29 known Apple-1 with serial number I had contact to 21. Hopefully, now every Apple-1 owner will contact me and share information about their Apple-1. Everything can be published or I can keep it confidential and just preserve the information and history.