Apple II

Launched in June 1977, the Apple II was the first mass-produced personal computer from Apple Computer, Inc., designed by Steve Wozniak and marketed by Steve Jobs. It was a major step forward from the earlier Apple I, featuring a MOS 6502 CPU, color graphics, built-in BASIC, and expandability via internal slots. Originally shipping with 4KB of RAM, the system was expandable up to 48KB, with later models supporting even more. The Apple II became a dominant platform in homes, schools, and businesses, especially in the U.S., and is widely regarded as one of the most influential personal computers ever made.

Notable Features

• First true mass-market computer with color graphics, expandability, and ease of use
• Integer BASIC in ROM written by Steve Wozniak; later replaced with Applesoft BASIC in Apple II+
• Allowed third-party cards, making it popular among developers and hardware hackers
• Early software included VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program, which drove business adoption
• Supported games, productivity tools, programming languages, and education software

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Historical Significance

• Part of the "1977 Trinity" alongside the Commodore PET and TRS-80 Model I
• Revolutionized personal computing and helped launch the software industry
• Used heavily in U.S. schools, especially with the later Apple IIe
• Set a precedent for open architecture and third-party software/hardware support
• Served as Apple’s main product line until the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984

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Collector's Notes

• Rarity: High – original Apple II (pre-II+) models are much rarer than later variants
• Desirability: Extremely high – especially with original boxes, cassette decks, manuals, and integer BASIC ROMs
• Common Issues:
  • Degraded capacitors and PSU issues
  • Keyboard wear or missing keycaps
  • Cassette and expansion slot contacts may need cleaning
• Display Tips: Ideal with Disk II drives, color CRT, original Apple monitor or period TV, and VisiCalc or classic games like Lode Runner

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Apple II
Manufacturer	Apple
Launched	Wednesday, June 1, 1977
Discontinued	1980
Launch Price	1298
Country	United States
CPU	MOS Technology 6502 @ 1.023 MHz
Power	Internal PSU with voltage selector, fan-cooled
Expansion	8 internal expansion slots for cards (RAM, graphics, disk, serial, etc.)
Storage	Cassette tape interface (Disk II floppy drive available from 1978)
Keyboard	Full-size 52-key keyboard, no lowercase letters (original model)
Sound	1-bit internal speaker (click and tone)
Display	NTSC TV output – 40×24 text, up to 280×192 high-resolution graphics
ROM	12 KB (monitor, Integer BASIC)
RAM	4KB standard, expandable to 48KB (or 64KB with hacks)