December 12, 1980: Apple Goes Public

Starting Apple Computer was a big gamble for the three principals: Markkula, Jobs, and Wozniak. Each gave up something precious to get the necessary cash: Jobs sold his van, the Woz parted with his HP calculator, and Markkula used $92,000 of his personal money to help get the venture started.

Business took off rather quickly and sales kept growing. It was decided that Apple should go public, so an IPO was set up.

The stock opened at $22 on the day of the IPO and closed at $29. Over 40 employees who left work at Apple on December 11 as working stiffs came to work next day as millionaires after the company went public on December 12, 1980.