Historic Apple check signed by Steve Jobs fetches giant diamond prices

Dated July 8, 1976, the check made out to Crampton, Remke & Miller, Inc. for $175 carries immense importance. Apple's co-founder, Steve Jobs, signed it, and it's noteworthy for featuring the company's inaugural address at "770 Welch Rd., Ste. 154, Palo Alto."

The auction began on April 17 and concluded on May 10. The check sold for $106,985, which is in the range of a six-carat diamond.

During that period, the address represented an answering service and mail drop utilized by Apple while operating from the Jobs family garage. Crampton, Remke & Miller, the consulting firm to which the check was issued, offered business process consulting services to several high-tech companies in Northern California, such as Atari, Memorex, National Semiconductor, and Xerox.

Jobs' decision to engage such a firm during Apple's early days underscored his commitment to long-term development and strategic planning. Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction, said, "It's a remarkable flawless check from when Steve Jobs hired Apple's first consulting firms— a central moment in the history of the most innovative and influential companies."

"These great looking early checks are highly desired because they not only tell Apple's founding story, they are signed with perfect examples of Steve Jobs's autograph," he added. "Plus, bank checks allay collectors' concerns about the authenticity of Steve Jobs's signature."

Crampton, Remke & Miller, a management consulting firm based in Palo Alto, played a pivotal role in offering business process consulting services to numerous high-tech companies in Northern California, including Apple Computer in its early stages, alongside Atari, Memorex, National Semiconductor, and Xerox. Jobs' decision to enlist their expertise exemplified his forward-thinking approach to long-term growth.

That era marked Apple's introduction of the Apple-1, securing significant orders and striving to fulfill them. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak navigated the challenges of sourcing parts, assembling computers, and delivering them to retailers and individuals.