The Legacy of Steve Jobs: From 8th-Grade Science Project to $34,375 Auction

The childhood science project of Steve Jobs recently reached a final price of $34,375 at auction. This project was the focus of Lot 4006 in the Steve Jobs & the Computer Revolution: The Apple 50th Anniversary Auction hosted by RR Auction. The project, created by Jobs in eighth grade, explained silicon-controlled rectifiers through a display board and a detailed report.

The display featured a plywood construction with a board titled “What is the SCR?” accompanied by a ten-page report. Additionally, two test circuits were included to showcase the basic principles and applications of the silicon-controlled rectifier. The project, submitted under the name of Jobs’ teacher Mrs. Yakel, fetched a significant price at the auction.

The project was sourced from the personal collection of Steve Jobs’ step-brother, John Chovanec. Following Jobs’ decline to reclaim his personal items, Chovanec carefully preserved the project for years. Other notable items at the auction included an Apple II computer gifted by Jobs to his father Paul, which sold for $12,079, and a business card from Jobs’ NeXT days that fetched $39,726.

The highlight of the auction was Lot 4040: A ‘Neumark’ Apple-1 Computer housed in a unique Smith-Corona Typewriter case, which sold for an impressive $499,363. This particular item had been restored to full operational condition in June 2026 by Apple-1 expert Corey Cohen, adding to its value.

Additionally, an Apple business card signed by Steve Jobs sold for $156,658, exceeding its expected price. The top seller in the Apple category was an Apple P68 ‘Stealth iPod’ prototype, which went for $91,479. This early prototype showcased the evolution of the iconic iPod design.

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