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'Prototype' Apple Lisa on ebay

Probably would go for that much or more if the provenance is accurate.

Something about it feels wrong. But I trust whoever bids on it for that much will ask for close images of all the boards to make sure no chips other than those replaced by the upgrade were made after the purported build date and will check that the label is correctly aged.
 
I have never seen a Lisa with that label on the vertical part of that panel (visible from the front of the system), or with that style FCC label under the front.

It may be that Apple did this on a prototype, but without any more supporting provenance, this is suspect to me.

Rick
Lisa2.com
 
Even if the provenance is accurate, and the seller's description of it sounds reasonable and I'll accept it at face value, it's still just a Lisa 2, not working, missing parts. It has some interesting history and pre-production parts (again, taking the seller's word for it), but that does not make it worth anything beyond a good, working, complete Lisa 2. I would value this at no more than $2,000.

Sellam
 
Can't speak for the rest of the world, but if I'm going to spend 10K, it better have proper documentation. Also, why would you put a serial number on a 'show & tell' prototype destined for the crusher?
 
Can't speak for the rest of the world, but if I'm going to spend 10K, it better have proper documentation. Also, why would you put a serial number on a 'show & tell' prototype destined for the crusher?

Well, I suppose after it's original use was fulfilled Apple could have just decided to assign a serial number to it and sell it. It was 'worth' $10k at the time I guess, Lord knows they could use every sale they could get for those things. I know from my Apple II documentation efforts Apple was not entirely consistent in how they did things.
 
The asking price is now down to "only" $7500. And note that the listing says "This machine Is currently non functional and is missing the the power supply and the system I/O board." So it's basically a hodge-podge parts machine, some of which may allegedly be from a prototype.
 
If this was a prototype, there should be mold marks that indicate as such. If the serial number is accurate, it's early and it may have been used as a demo/review unit. It still doesn't make it a prototype. I think the seller is trying to equate a build date being earlier than the release date meaning that it has to be a prototype. Digibarn also has pictures of a prototype but it doesn't have any labels or a serial number (as is expected).
 
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