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Early Apple Computer Company check, 6 x 3, filled out in type and signed by Jobs, "steven jobs," payable Elmer Baum for $125, July 13, 1976. Headed "Apple Computer Company," the check uses Apple's first official address at "770 Welch Rd., Ste. 154, Palo Alto"—the location of the answering service and mail drop that they used while still operating out of the famous Jobs family garage. In very fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Boldly signed by Jobs during this foundational era of Apple Computer, this is an ideal example of his autograph.
The check's recipient, Elmer Baum, was the first seed investor of the Apple Computer Company. His son, Allen, was friends with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and Elmer, formerly an engineer at SRI International, saw promise in the exceptional young duo's vision. Needing capital to buy parts to create the first run of Apple-1 computers, Jobs and Wozniak borrowed $5,000 from Baum on April 6, 1976—five days after founding Apple Computer—to be repaid in full, plus a flat $250 in interest, by July 6th, with an additional 5% quarterly accrual for payments made after that date. This check is presumed to represent one such payment.
In his 1993 obituary, the Associated Press reported: "Elmer Baum, who helped start Apple Computer by lending its founders $5,000, died Saturday at his home here. He was 75…Mr. Baum made the loan to Stephen Wozniak and Steven Jobs in the mid-1970's. The two young entrepreneurs were friends of Mr. Baum's son Allen. 'The $5,000 from him really was what allowed us to build the Apple I,' Mr. Wozniak said. Mr. Jobs agreed, saying, 'Without that, we wouldn't have made it.' Mr. Baum worked at SRI International until his engineering group was laid off. Soon thereafter, he saw promise in Mr. Wozniak and Mr. Jobs and gave them the loan for the Apple I computer board. They 'paid it back fairly quickly,' Allen Baum said. The partners made and sold hundreds of boards before the Apple II came out in 1977 and the fledgling company took off. Mr. Wozniak and Mr. Jobs rewarded Mr. Baum with a job, and he became Apple employee No. 34. The company now employs about 15,000 people. Mr. Baum's sons, Allen, Michael and Peter, also worked for Apple."
