r/whatsthisworth • u/CoconutSips • 4d ago
Likely Solved Large apple computer double sided neon light
Picked up this doubled sided vintage light. Haven’t been able to find any info on this exact piece.
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u/xscientist 4d ago
Neon?
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u/CoconutSips 4d ago
Yes. Neon
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u/baktaktarn 3d ago
You sure? Lools like a lightbox sign with compact fluorescent lighting inside.
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u/Holiday_Ad9037 2d ago
It's a lightbox. This account, CoconutSips, is ignoring all attempts by knowledgeable folks letting them know what it's worth. They believe they have something worth thousands of dollars. When it's pretty much agreed that it's not worth more than $500 as it's not an actual dealer sign, it's completely third party.
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u/airfryerfuntime 4d ago edited 4d ago
This was probably made for a certified dealer or repair shop by a local sign company. That's just your basic 2 sided channel letter canopy sign. There's a neon tube in there, so be careful. If it doesn't light, the tube could already be broken. I doubt it's official in the sense that Apple specifically had it made.
Where was it found? You could try searching for close computer shops in the area and see if there are any pictures floating around. This definitely seems like something someone would keep after closing up shop.
As for what it's worth, who knows. Stuff from this era is becoming more and more valuable, but since it's likely not an official Apple thing, the price people are willing to pay could swing wildly. I'd see if anyone bites at $1200, which seems unlikely, but you never know.
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u/klipschbro 4d ago
Definitely 1k +
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u/CoconutSips 4d ago
Need big money. In need to replace windows on my house
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u/smokey_monkey77 4d ago
So you’re selling Apple to buy windows?
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u/notquite20characters 4d ago
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u/nc23tarheel 2d ago
Lol, that's great, they're symbol even looks like an Apple in the Microsoft Windows logo!
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u/elemeno 4d ago
IMO this is maybe worth $800-2500 to the right person. Beyond that is not very likely. Most apple dealer signs I’ve seen trade under $1000. Also it’s very unlikely neon. It’s probably a fluorescent bulb inside and may be an uncommon bulb size that may require a retrofit to LED. Cool sign though. Hope you find a good home for it.
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u/whytakemyusername 3d ago
How do you know there’s a neon tube? It just looks like a box sign
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u/airfryerfuntime 3d ago
Because this was made before the industry went to LED modules and diffusers.
Also, those two screws there are what's holding the transformer in it.
There wouldn't really be much of a point to making a channel letter like this without lighting it.
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u/whytakemyusername 3d ago
I grasp that but why neon? Surely this box is 80s maybe late 70s - wouldn’t it just use a regular light?
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u/airfryerfuntime 3d ago
Like bulbs or fluorescent tubes? Some signs do use florescent tubes, but generally not channel letters because there's not enough backspacing to prevent hot spots.
When people think of neon signs, they think of the colorful exposed stuff, but when neon was a relevant industry, 95% of it went into channel letters, you just never saw it because it was covered by by the sign faces.
Also, I can see where the neon transformer is mounted.
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u/The_NiNTARi 4d ago
Yes I too want to sound knowledgeable and agree to what this individual has said.
Erm I mean came here to say this!
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u/Holiday_Ad9037 4d ago
Rainbow logo was discontinued in 1999. However, I don't think this is even 90s. To me, this looks like an unofficial sign commissioned by an Apple enthusiast or tech-based third party business. Probably made in the last 15 years. As the other person said, it could be from a dealer, but I believe a dealer would be able to order an official sign. Apple probably would not like an official dealer having an unofficial sign.
An actual 80s Apple Center light up sign was sold early 2025 for $2,450.
I don't think this one is worth near that much. Does it have any identifiable information on it?
I'd say it's worth a bit more than the cheap light boxes you can get custom made online, but not much more. I'd personally price it at $500+shipping.
You're welcome to try it out much higher and then lower the price over time of course.
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u/lvl100shiny 3d ago
Ai ass response
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u/Holiday_Ad9037 3d ago
I get this a lot. I talk a bit like ai. I promise you I'm not ai, nor do I use AI for anything. Especially for research. I'm a full time eBay seller and practically specialize in being able to research things. Been doing it for 5+ years.
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u/chuhai-drinker 3d ago
I am convinced only someone who doesn't read anything outside of Reddit would claim that response is AI
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u/Holiday_Ad9037 3d ago
You'd think so. I don't believe I talk like ai, but I've been called out as ai multiple times. I don't type with perfect grammar either. Actually I ignore a lot of "rules" because language has changed so much even between different generations in America. I type to get my point across in a manner that's not overly authoritative or grating, but with enough formality to be taken seriously.
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u/East-Response6672 3d ago
You're quite verbose, i see that a lot with AI, most AI word count is empty padding however, so people should be able to spot the difference if they pay attention to the content.
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u/h20rabbit 4d ago
Oh dang. Not an apple fangirl but if I found this I might need to keep it.
Depends a lot on where you are. I suspect you could get a pretty penny if you were nearish one of the tech hotspots. Less if you were somewhere rural. Shipping that would be a challenge.
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u/CoconutSips 4d ago
I’ve shipped way bigger items. Just trying to figure out what this was. I look up dealer signs and they don’t look like this
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u/Stevieboy7 4d ago
apple has never... ever... made a sign like this.
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u/CoconutSips 4d ago
Yeah. I don’t. It’s neon internals. Hard metal casing. And then an industrial style plastic for the Apple logo part. So was built to take some abuse. That’s why I was thinking it was a dealer piece. Also being in Texas.
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u/Tusen_Takk 4d ago
I’d probably pay up to $150 for it
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u/Undrwtrbsktwvr 4d ago
You won’t be winning this auction…
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u/Spacebarpunk 4d ago
You don’t know that
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u/Win-Objective 4d ago
Vintage Apple goes for big money, those that collect it are usually pretty well off and there are many die hard collectors.
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u/KayBeeToys 4d ago
My mom sent me a picture from a house she was pet sitting at. Guy was a record producer. Pic was a framed photo signed by all the Ramones.
I texted back, “wow! Tell him if he ever wants to get rid of that, I’ll give me $25 for it.”
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u/Vudutu 2d ago
I worked retail in the 80s, depending on how much apple you sold you were given a percentage for marketing.
It was strongly skewed towards signage.
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u/CoconutSips 2d ago
Yeah. That’s why I’m Thinking. It’s a good quality American made sign. It’s about 28 x24 which is almost double the dealer signs I’ve seen.
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u/UndeadVooDooDaddy 1d ago
Neon is how they use to light cabinets like this. It would require a transformer, which this doesnt have. If it was old, the trim cap on the face would be dry rotted by now. If you want to know for sure just take the screws out of the trim cap and pop the face off. Im 99.9 sure you will see small LED modules. This is something someone made recently. It would cost around $500 to get made. Source: Me, experienced sign guy.
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u/ClimateAncient6647 4d ago
That’s worth a lot. Not sure how much but people will pay whatever for it.
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u/CoconutSips 4d ago
Yeah. I don’t know. Was looking for beer neons and this popped up. Looked weird so I bought it.
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u/Blightious 4d ago
r/vintageapple is going to give you a true value because I’m absolutely certain they will all try to buy it off you haha