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Apple Co-Founder's Old Mouse Dug Up in Aspen

A crew from the National Geographic Channel show “Diggers” says they have unearthed a time capsule in Aspen containing a piece of tech history – a mouse to Apple’s LISA computer placed by Steve Jobs.

The time capsule was buried on the grounds of the Aspen Institute as part of the 1983 International Design Conference according to a release from the National Geographic Channel.  

Audio from Steve Jobs presentation at the 1983 International Design Conference at the Aspen Institute.

The Lisa computer was the first mass-marketed computer released by Apple. That was in early 1983. The Lisa was considered a flop, discontinued in 1986 and would be eclipsed by the Macintosh released in 1984.

Producers for “Diggers” say the time capsule was to be dug up in 2000. But, due to changes on the Aspen Institute site, the precise location was not known. So, working with the Aspen Music Festival and School and one of the original members of the design team that buried the capsule, the location was determined and excavated.

According to the crew, other items in the 13-foot-long capsule included an eight-track recording of The Moody Blues, a Sears Roebuck catalog, a June 1983 copy of Vogue Magazine, a Rubik’s Cube and a six-pack of beer.

The show “Diggers” sends hosts George Wyant and Tim Saylor across America looking for lost buried historical items. The episode featuring today’s dig at the Aspen Institute and Steve Jobs’ Lisa mouse is expected to air early next year.

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