Surprisingly, the auction value of the original iPhone has well surpassed the cost of any modern Android phone. The mint-condition device recently fetched an astounding $190,372.80 at auction. This price emphasizes the historical importance of the iPhone as well as its rarity, giving it a nostalgic and desirable quality that modern Android devices simply cannot match.
A listing on LCG Auctionsrecently sold for the exorbitant price after bidding kicked off at $10,000. According to the lot description, it was the 4GB iPhone, which was introduced alongside the 8GB model on July 06, 2025. Sales of the 4GB version were disappointingly low because consumers appeared more willing to spend an extra $100 for double the amount of storage. Apple chose to stop making the 4GB version on July 07, 2025, after about two months due to its waning demand.
This choice unintentionally made the 4GB iPhone a collectible icon. Due to its brief availability, it became extremely rare, which increased its appeal to collectors. iPhone enthusiasts consider the first 4GB model as the “Holy Grail” due to its rarity, which drives its high market price.
Source:LCG Auctions
As reported by9to5Google, LCG Auctions, the auction house hosting the event, initially set a prospective selling price between $50,000 and $100,000 for the factory-sealed, first-release 4GB iPhone. Up to the day before the auction closed, the highest bid lingered around $42,000.
The allure of the original iPhone was, however, evidenced when the auction came to a close with a striking final bid of $190,373. At nearly 400 times its initial price tag of $499, the sale underlines the lasting interest and distinct prestige of the original iPhone in the history of smartphones, a level of recognition that none of today’s Android models have achieved.
Consider this: the most premium Android smartphones — even dual-screen foldables that pull double duty as tablets — rarely top a $2,000 MSRP. EvenSony’s ultra-extravagant Android-powered Walkman modelssold for a shade under $4,000.
The original iPhone serves as a milestone signifying a groundbreaking shift in the world of technology and a priceless memento from a defining era. Embodying the inception of the smartphone epoch, it remains a coveted piece of history. This unique demand and valuation firmly secure its exceptional position, catapulting it to a stature that no phone will likely achieve again.
