Collection of Apple prototypes

Macintosh Portable prototype (M5126, 1990). © Hap Plain.

CNBC has produced a story on the world’s largest collection of Apple prototypes. Over the last 10 years, Henry “Hap” Plain collected over 250 prototypes of Apple products, which are rare items by definition. Aside from numerous Macintoshes, there are also Apple IIs, Lisas, Ipods, iPhones, a Newton MessagePad 110, an Apple Network Server, an Xserve G4 and even a prototype of a clear-shelled ImageWriter II (1985) printer and Macintosh clones from the Michael Spindler era. Hap sometimes sells one of his prototypes on eBay. Over the last few months, he has sold a Macintosh SE (1987) prototype for US$22,600 and a Macintosh Portable (1990) prototype for US$16,225. In the interview, Plain states that he recently tried to sell a Lisa prototype with Developers ROM and that the price had climbed to just under US$100,000 when the sale was blocked by Apple’s lawyers. “They are not very keen on having individuals sell prototypes on ecommerce websites”.

⇨ 9to5Mac, “Take a look at the world’s largest collection of Apple prototypes.”