Apple’s founding papers set for auction, valued up to $4M

By Phong Ngo November 28, 2025 | 03:18 pm PT

British auction house Christie’s is preparing to auction the original 1976 partnership contract that formed Apple Computer Company, with an estimated value between $2 million and $4 million.

The three-page document, which established the tech giant on April 1, 1976, will be auctioned on January 23, 2026, according to Apple Insider.

The contract was signed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ron Wayne, with the shares allocated as 45% for Jobs, 45% for Wozniak, and 10% for Wayne.

Also included in the auction are additional papers documenting Wayne’s decision to withdraw from the company just 12 days after its formation.

Wayne, the Apple's little known founder, originally received $800 for his stake, followed by an additional $1,500 payment.

An Apple Store in Wuhan, China, in April 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Quy

Fortune magazine described Wayne’s decision as "one of the biggest missed financial opportunities in history." With Apple’s current market value reaching $4 trillion, Wayne’s 10% stake is now worth an astonishing $400 billion.

Wayne later explained his departure, acknowledging the inherent risks of the venture. He expressed concerns about "standing in the shadow of giants" and suggested he were to stay at Apple, he "would have probably ended up the richest man in the cemetery," he told Business Insider.

While Wayne has no regret about leaving Apple, he admitted to one: selling his copy of the original signed contract for $500.

That same document later sold for $1.6 million at auction in 2011.