The German 19th-Century Brass Calculator is the most expensive calculator ever sold, with a mind-blowing price of $11.8 million. This rare and unique piece of history showcases early computing technology. The intense competition between two bidders at a Christie’s auction in London led to its jaw-dropping final price.
If you’re someone who values precision and accuracy in your calculations, you might be interested in knowing about the most expensive calculators ever sold.
These calculators are designed for professionals in fields like engineering, science, and finance, where accuracy is critical, and even the slightest error can lead to significant consequences.
In this blog post, we will take a look at the most expensive calculators available in the market and explore their features and functionalities. We will also discuss the reasons why these calculators are so expensive and whether they are worth the investment.
Whether you’re a student or a professional, this post will provide you with valuable insights into the world of high-end calculators.
Most Expensive Calculators on You Can Buy
10. Louis Vuitton Monogram Pocket Calculator
The Louis Vuitton Monogram Pocket Calculator is a fancy and pricey gadget, costing around $1,265. Louis Vuitton, a famous luxury brand known for items like bags and shoes, also created this unique calculator.
This high price comes from the brand’s reputation as a symbol of wealth and success. The calculator looks like a small wallet and can easily fit in your pocket or purse. It’s not just stylish but also rare since there are only limited numbers made by hand.
People who love designer brands might want to collect this special calculator or give it as an expensive gift to someone they care about!
9. Hewlett Packard 01 Calculator
The Hewlett Packard calculator watch, also known as the HP 01, is a rare and costly item with a price of $1,795. This watch was first introduced in 1977 and was produced until 1980.
It’s no longer available on the market but can be found for resale or at auctions. The HP 01 is special because it combined a digital watch with a calculator and other impressive features like a stopwatch, calendar, alarm clock, and even timing abilities.
It was an advanced gadget for its time that showcased Hewlett Packard’s innovative spirit. Collectors who appreciate unique technology items might find this calculator watch quite interesting and worth the high price!
8. Sui President Series Calculator
The Sui President Series Calculator is an elegant and costly device made in Japan. With a price of $1,922, this calculator is handcrafted to meet the needs of luxury workspace enthusiasts.
What makes it so special is that you can customize it with images, company logos, color treatments, or even diamond embellishments! Built from aluminum and beautifully finished, the calculator’s look stands out as sleek and refined.
This high-end gadget offers various functions like basic arithmetic operations, memory features, exponent calculations, reciprocal operations, tax calculations, and an automatic power-down feature.
The Sui President Series Calculator could be the perfect choice for those who desire a luxurious touch to their office tools!
7. Pascal’s Calculator
Pascal’s Calculator is a historical and valuable invention with a price tag of $16,325. Created in 1642 by the young genius Blaise Pascal at just 19 years old, he designed it to help his father count taxes more efficiently.
This amazing device simplified addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division like never before. The calculator’s high price comes from its rarity and age. Out of around 20 calculators that Pascal built, only nine are known to exist today.
Most of them are held in museums or private collections, making them extremely hard to find. This fascinating piece of history marks the beginning of mechanical calculators and showcases the brilliance of Pascal’s intellect at such a young age.
6. Kenny Scharf Calculator
The Kenny Scharf Calculator is an extraordinary piece of art that costs a whopping $20,160. This unique calculator doesn’t gain its value from fancy functions or brand names; instead, it’s all about the artwork by renowned artist Kenny Scharf.
Since the 1980s, Scharf has been creating eye-catching pieces and graffiti that capture people’s attention. Though this particular calculator no longer works and comes with some wear, it remains highly desirable among art collectors because of its bright colors and quirky design.
It features custom jewelry embellishments that give it a truly one-of-a-kind appearance. Fans of artistic masterpieces may find this distinctive calculator to be an irresistible addition to their collections!
5. Deakin & Francis 18 Karat Gold Calculator
The Deakin & Francis 18 Karat Gold Calculator is a luxurious and pricey gadget that costs around $21,000. Designed in 1990 as the perfect gift for someone who has everything, this limited-edition calculator grabs attention with its exquisite construction made entirely of 18-karat gold.
Gold’s purity makes it valuable, so using it to create an entire calculator adds to the high price tag. Another reason for its costliness is that only one of these amazing Deakin & Francis calculators was ever produced!
Having such an exclusive and custom-made item makes it highly desirable among those who appreciate rare, high-end pieces. It truly stands out as one of the most expensive calculators ever made!
4. Texas Instruments Cal-Tech Prototype
The Texas Instruments Cal-Tech Prototype is a rare and innovative piece of technology history, valued at an incredible $68,000. In the 1960s, Texas Instruments President Patrick Haggerty believed that making gadgets smaller would be a huge success.
He had already found triumph with the pocket radio and wanted to take it further by creating this groundbreaking calculator. What makes it so expensive is its significance in technological advancements. Developed over two years, this prototype featured complex functions never seen before in calculators.
Though it wasn’t mass-produced, Canon later bought the rights and created a successful model called Pocketronic based on this design. As the only existing prototype of its kind, collectors find it highly desirable and valuable!
3. Grillet Portable Calculator
The Grillet Portable Calculator, created in the 1670s by a Parisian mechanic and watchmaker René Grillet de Roven, has a stunning price of $155,000. This remarkable invention was inspired by the need for a lighter and more practical option compared to heavy brass calculators.
What makes it so valuable is its unique design made from walnut wood, making it much easier to carry around than previous models. The Grillet Portable Calculator is considered one of the first portable mechanical calculators ever made!
It is extremely rare, with only four known models in existence today. Most of them are held in museums or private collections. Owning such an innovative piece of history would be an extraordinary achievement for any collector!
2. Thomas de Colmar’s Arithmomètre
Thomas de Colmar’s Arithmomètre is a groundbreaking invention with an impressive price of $313,000. Patented in 1820 by Thomas de Colmar, it became the first mechanical calculator that was reliable enough for daily use in an office environment.
This amazing device revolutionized how people performed calculations. One reason for its high value is its long-standing reputation for accuracy and reliability. Produced from 1851 to 1915, it was widely used around the world and remained the only commercial mechanical calculator for four decades.
The specific model sold at auction in 2013 featured a luxurious boulle case and an engraving dedicated to de Colmar’s sister-in-law Emilie, making it a one-of-a-kind collectible worth every penny!
1. German 19th-Century Brass Calculator
The German 19th-Century Brass Calculator holds the record for being the most expensive calculator ever sold, with an astonishing price of $11.8 million! At first glance, you might wonder why it costs so much, but its rarity and unique features explain its worth.
Initially expected to sell for around $30,000 at auction, the price skyrocketed due to two determined bidders competing against each other. Edgar Mannheimer won the bid over the phone amidst applause from those in attendance at Christie’s auction in London. He justified his purchase by stating that only one other similar calculator exists in a Stuttgart museum.
This brass calculator is not just rare but also has historical significance as an early computing device. It serves as a reminder of how far technology has come and is truly a priceless treasure!