A WWII Enigma machine with four rotors was sold at auction earlier this week, achieving double its estimated price. Christie’s in Paris said the auction lot was “one of the rarest and hardest Enigma machines to decipher” (machine translation).
This auction will have drawn in WWII and computer enthusiast collectors due to this sample being fully operational, complete with lead-acid batteries. It is also thought to be one of only eight working models remaining. This might explain why it achieved double the estimate, with an unnamed bidder paying €482,600 (US$555,233).
