A rare Commodore 65 personal computer prototype that was never released could be yours for nearly $35,000 USD. Many prototypes were built, but there was some company turmoil in 1991 that caused them to scrap the computer altogether. It promised backwards compatibility through emulation, and boasted a faster 3.54MHz processor, 128KB RAM (expandable to 1MB), an upgraded graphics chip capable of supporting 256 colors as well as a built-in disk drive.
When Commodore International was eventually liquidated in 1994, there was rumored 50-2000 Commodore 65 prototypes that were either distributed to employees or resold on the open market. What makes this particular unit special is that the plastic molds have not been given the matte treatment, so the casing is still glossy, while the POWER and DRIVE text is missing. Apparently, the ALPHA units are the rarest of the bunch and this one has #27 written on the PCB. Missed out on the auction? A Simpsons arcade cabinet would fill that empty space in your room quite nicely.
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The board revision of the C65 is ‘2A’. The version of the ROM is the first known from January 1991 (0.9.910111), probably handwritten by the developer. The remaining details can be found in the pictures. On the board of the Commodore C65 there is a usual numbering with serial no. 27,” said the seller.
