In the tech world, 1958 is almost ancient, but one of the earliest chips is looking to get around $2 million at auction. Texas Instruments engineer Jack Kilby used a chip in 1958 as part of an integrated circuit.
New York City's Christie's saleroom is putting the prototype on auction, claiming the chip was part of the earliest microchip revolution. It has already seen much media coverage over its sale, with the chip being part of the revolution that set the stage for the current modern computer and smartphone world we live in.
The integrated circuit, according to Christie's, was constructed by Tom Yeargan, a member of Kilby's team that executed his theories on miniaturization for computers.
"A prototype integrated circuit built between 18 July and 12 September 1958, germanium wafer (11 mm long) doubly diffused, flying gold wire, four leads, mounted with Sauereisen high temperature cement on a small glass plate, bonded gold leads and copper wire, glued onto a second glass plate (50 x 50 mm), housed in plastic case marked in black ink "Networks Tom YEARGAN EXT 1727" and with label later signed 'Jack S Kilby'," Christie's says in a statement announcing the sale.
Many observers have said this could be among the oldest chips still in existence today that highlights the transition toward the modern personal computer that was developed some decades later for general public use.
The circuit is integrated and mounted on glass and enclosed in a plastic case that belonged to Yeargan and has a label autographed by Kilby.
Kilby, a revolutionary in science, won the Nobel Prize in physics in 2000 for his efforts in miniaturization. The auction house will sell the chip as well as a statement by Yeargan, whose family is offering the circuit.
In many ways, this chip was a precursor to the microchip developed more than a decade later.
"The term 'microchip' itself wouldn't become mainstream until 1969, but today now stands for the basic building block that has driven the computer revolution," said Christie's.
Most observers expect the wealthy tech world executives are likely getting their bids ready, as this chip is a unique look into the past and the earliest of innovation in the modern computing world.
