Your Old iPod Might Be Worth More Than You Realize

The iPod was a truly revolutionary piece of technology. Though portable digital music players had existed for nearly a decade before Apple unveiled the first iPod in 2001, the now-iconic portable media player changed the way people listened to music on the road. It could hold hundreds of songs, plus it had a battery that could last up to ten hours, an easy-to-use interface, and the right size for portability. 

But we live at a time when technology moves incredibly fast, and what is old gets left behind in the blink of an eye. Though Apple continued to produce iPods in one form or another until 2022, the technology was quickly rendered obsolete when the smartphone arrived and gave you everything your iPod could do, plus a phone and a mini-computer all in one device. 

Many devices become obsolete in just a few years, and the question becomes, should you hold on to them? If you miss the window when you can trade in your old phone or device for a new one, what should you do? Well, when it comes to the iPod, there are several things you can still use it for, and there might even be some money to be made out of it.

Firstly, you want to identify which iPod you own so you can assess its value. If you don't have the original box, you can search the device for a model number to find out which iPod it is.

Now, the surprisingly high value of the iPod made waves when a sealed and unopened first generation iPod that someone got as a Christmas gift in 2001 (and allegedly forgot all about it for 20 years), sold for $29,000 last year. But be warned that this is the exception rather than the rule.

In truth, first generation iPods can go for anywhere between $200 and $500 on eBay if they are in good condition. A few can even go for up to $1,000 if they are in their original packaging. But anything apart from that can fluctuate greatly in value, as more and more iPods were produced after the first one became a worldwide phenomenon. Indeed, iPod Nanos can go for as low as $30 online. 

The better condition your device is, and the more you keep its original packaging and accessories, the higher the chance of getting a better price, but it's no surefire success.