The internet is loving Steve Jobs’ reply to a fan who wanted his autograph in 1983: "I'm afraid..."

In 1983, a fan reached out to Steve Jobs, hoping for an autograph from the Apple co-founder. Jobs, however, rarely did so as he was aware of the dangers it could land him in. Not to upset the fan, he came up with the most brilliant plan—he typed his response on an Apple letterhead, signing the letter with his lowercase initials, which was indirectly an autograph. Jobs respectfully turning down the fan's request while acknowledging their admiration, won the internet. 

As reported by GOOD, the letter, which was posted by @JonErlichman on X (formerly Twitter), read, "Dear M. Varon, I am honored that you would write, but I am afraid I don't sign autographs." Commenting on the same, a person (@ MichauxDom) noted, “This goes over so many people's heads. I think it is genius. He denies the request but fills it at the same time. Funny.” Another person (@AustinNWharton) claimed, “The point Steve was making is that he isn’t about vanity, but he would happily just sign a letter to return. This is about humility, not about his lack of awareness.”

On Reddit, a netizen (u/CrisZPennState) gushed, “They got exactly what they wanted and maybe even a laugh!” Another rightly suggested, “That’s going to be worth some serious money. Lock that baby in a safety deposit box and wait 30 years.” Chiming in, a person (u/Avante-Gardenerd) argued, “I think he was just being funny. He gave this guy a signed letter with a personal comment, which is way more desirable than an autograph.”

Others on social media reminisced about the golden days of Apple, lamenting that the company no longer operates with the same brilliance and innovation that Jobs once brought to the table. Fans weren’t exaggerating when they speculated about the letter's value. On August 19, 2021, the original letter was sold for a staggering $479,939. RR Auction, the website that auctioned the letter, reported that Jobs rarely gave autographs, often turning down nearly all requests by mail or in person. He was not easily swayed by their persistent appeals, as reported by Scoop Upworthy.

Items and merchandise from Apple’s early days are also renowned for fetching unimaginable prices at auctions, often reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars, as reported by Newsweek. For instance, in 2018, a rare Apple-1, the personal computer introduced by Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, sold for an impressive $464,876. The unit, which remained in good condition, was reported to have no changes to the original board and showed no signs of use when it was sold. Jobs, who co-founded Apple with Wozniak in 1976, died of pancreatic cancer in 2011 at the age of just 56.