Eighteen years after Apple disrupted the world of music with the iPod, a factory sealed, unopened box containing the first generation of the device is on the auction block. And the seller is hoping that shrink wrap will convince tech enthusiasts to pay a premium.
The rare unopened 5-gigabyte iPod is listed for $19,995 on eBay. So far, there have been plenty of lookers, but no one has pulled the trigger.
Offering a product that’s severely outdated by today’s standards for 50x the original retail price might seem insane. But there’s a growing market for collectible legacy electronics. And just as with the collectible toy market, items that are in their original packaging and sealed are much more desirable to enthusiasts.
This item, in fact, could actually be considered something of a steal. Five years ago, a factory-sealed first generation iPod sold for $20,000. A special edition U2 iPod has sold for as much as $90,000.
Apple has largely done away with the iPod, focusing more of its attentions on the iPhone and iPad these days, but there have been whispers it could be working on a new version of the iPod Touch, which would be introduced later this year.
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