Grand Rapids, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/03/2013 -- Financial advisor Dennis Tubbergen can typically be found helping his own clients. When he has a few spare minutes he is busy writing his daily blog, his monthly newsletter Moving Markets or interviewing his next guest expert for his weekly radio show.
Tubbergen's next guest is Harry Dent. Dent is the founder of Dent Research, an economic research firm specializing in demographic trends. His mission is stated as "Helping People Understand Change."
Dent is also a best-selling author, having published The Great Boom Ahead and The Next Great Bubble. He is a well-known speaker and has been featured in Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Fortune, Success, U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week and other publications.
Tubbergen, who is an author, radio show host, and CEO of PLP Advisors, LLC, spends a lot of time giving his opinions on the economy in his online financial blog. On July2, 2013 his blog was titled Original Apple 1 Computer May Fetch a Cool Half Million.
"There aren’t many Apple 1 computers left," began Tubbergen. "There weren’t many made in the first place. But, had you purchased one and hung on to it, your original investment of $666 might have grown to a half million dollars over a 34-year time frame."
Below Tubbergen quotes from a June 24, 2013 article from CNN Money.
Apple fans are serious. They will line up for hours to buy the newest version of the iPhone and they'll pay a lot for a 37-year-old computer.
One of the few remaining original Apple I computers was put up for bids Monday, and auction house Christie's expects it to attract a winning bid of between $300,000 and $500,000.
Half a million dollars is a lot for a circuit board built in 1976 without casing, keyboard or monitor. In fact, that kind of money could buy you 250 MacBook Pros.
But, the Apple I isn't just any circuit board. It was the first product designed by Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) co-founder Steve Wozniak who built it in his partner Steve Jobs' parents' garage.
Only about 200 Apple 1 computers were ever built by Wozniak and Jobs. At the time, the design attracted the attention of Paul Terrell who owned a Silicon Valley store chain call Byte Shop. He bought the first 50 Apple I computers for $500 each and resold them for $666.66.
In May, an Apple I computer sold for $671,000 at a German auction house, Auction Team Breker. Last year, one sold for $374,500 at a Sotheby's auction.
Bidders have until July 9 to make an online bid at Christie's for the latest Apple I to go on sale. Other iconic computers from the 20th century, including a 1983 Apple Lisa computer, and a prototype of the first Macintosh laptop, are also included in the auction.
"Investing $666 34 years ago and cashing in today for a half a million is an average annual return of about 21.5 percent!" concludes Tubbergen. "Not bad by anyone’s measure. By comparison, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has returned about 8.75 percent annually over that same time frame."
(Tubbergen notes that one cannot invest directly in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.)
To read the blog in its entirety go to http://www.dennistubbergen.com and select his July 2, 2013 entry.
Tubbergen’s syndicated radio show can be heard on metro Michigan stations WTKG 1230 AM and WOOD Newsradio1300 AM and 106.9 FM.
About Dennis Tubbergen
Dennis Tubbergen has been in the financial industry for over 25 years and has his corporate offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tubbergen is CEO of PLP Advisors, LLC and has an online blog that can be read at www.dennistubbergen.com. To view Tubbergen’s latest Moving Markets? newsletter, go to www.moving-markets.com.
The opinions expressed herein are those of the writer and not necessarily those of USA Wealth Management, LLC. This update may contain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements as to future events that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those that were forecasted. Therefore, no forecast should be construed as a guarantee. Prior to making any investment decision, individuals should consult a professional to determine the risks, costs, benefits and fees associated with a particular investment. Information obtained from third party resources is believed to be reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed.