A very rare Enigma coding machine from World War II has been sold this week for a whopping $233,000 at Sotheby’s in London. The machine was expected to sell at a price between €50,000 to €70,000, but it was sold at a higher price of €149,000. The selled Enigma machine is in good condition with complete three rotors with Bakelike thumbwheels, standard QWERTZ keyboard, plug board with 10 cables, including two spares stored in the lid, and spare bulb rack with bulbs in an oak carrying case. However, the machine lacks one lamp for letter K and the reflector is slightly rusted.
Invented by the German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I, the Enigma machine was used extensively by the Nazi forces during World War II. During the War, German troops were instructed to destroy their Enigma machines to prevent them falling into enemy hands, with only a handful surviving. While tainted as a piece of Nazi memorabilia, the item is also a valuable artifact in the history of modern computing.