Business

Contract that founded Apple up for auction

It’s the seed that spawned Apple — and Silicon Valley’s digerati are lusting for it like a hungry Adam.

The historic contract that founded Apple is headed to a Sotheby’s auction and could win a huge bid-up like an Internet stock of yesteryear.

The document, which created the Apple partnership on April Fool’s Day in 1976, goes on public display at Sotheby’s galleries today ahead of its auction Dec. 13.

Originally, Sotheby’s anticipated bidding interest mostly from the rarefied world of manuscript collectors, who might bid as much as $150,000.

But unexpected queries poured in last week from wealthy technology folks.

The unofficial estimates are now a lot richer, and the price could hit $1 million due to ego-bidding expected among tech rivals, according to some private estimates.

Sotheby’s acknowledged that the document has made a “big splash” among the Silicon Valley set but refused to set a new price.

“This appeals to Apple enthusiasts and a lot of techies. The competitive bidding could drive up the price,” said Eileen Kinsella, editor of ARTnewsletter.

The original three Apple founders signed their pact April 1, 1976, with the 20-something partners Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak each taking 45 percent, and 41-year-old investor Ronald Wayne taking 10 percent. Just three copies existed, each held by a signer.

Wayne dumped his stake later in 1976 for $2,300 — valued today at $2 billion. He also sold his copy of the contract to an undisclosed collector, who put it up for sale by Sotheby’s for a minimum bid of $100,000. The other two copies haven’t changed hands.