Steve Jobs autographed magazine cover sells for $16,638 at auction

A copy of Fortune magazine from 1989 featuring Steve Jobs and reluctantly autographed by him, has been sold by one of his chauffeurs.

The cover of Fortune magazine's October 9, 1989 issue featuring Steve Jobs, has been sold at auction for almost 5,000 times its original $3.50 cover price. The cover is autographed "To Terry, Steve Jobs" and dates from when he had was with NeXT.

"I was one of Jobs's chauffeur drivers for several years before I asked Jobs to sign this magazine," says Terry — surname not revealed — as part of his auction letter of authenticity. "Although Jobs subsequently called my limousine company to complain about the autograph request."

The auction, held on Thursday, July 30, by Nate D. Saunders Auctions, was a general collection of historical papers, photographs, and some objects, though this was the only Apple-related item. It had a reserve of $11,000 and there were three bids.

Left: the full cover. Right: close up on the autograph

Fortune's cover is 9" x 10.875" and the Steve Jobs feature by Brent Schlender focused on "How Steve Jobs Linked Up with IBM." The complete text is still available, behind a pay wall, at Fortune's website.