My first iPod was a 20GB 4th gen. My wife gave it to me for Christmas in 2004. I sold it a year later to upgrade to the 5th gen Video. I never should have sold it. Who knew?

What made that iPod so special was that it was the first Apple product I had owned since my departure from the Macintosh in the early 90s. That iPod was the topic of the first post on this site 7 years ago and would rekindle my passion for all things Apple.

Well it feels like Christmas 2004 again because I scored a 20GB 4th gen iPod mint-in-the-box. My wife threw me some cash this Christmas so I could score a bunch of Apple goodies on eBay for myself. It’s ironic that I found another 4th gen. Once I saw it was mint in the box, I had to have it. I can’t believe I scored it for $86. My wife paid $299!

One of the things that makes the 4th gen so cool is the packaging. The 1st-3rd gen boxes weren’t as colorful. iPod packaging has grown more minimalist with each successive generation. This was the last generation to come in such a big square box.



You’re eyes do not deceive you, it still has the protective plastic film on it. The previous owner, like me, kept all the packaging materials right down to the wire wraps and protective plastic. The manual, CD, and Apple Stickers are all present.



Forgive the rats nest, but if you look closely you’ll notice that all the accessories are there. The headphones, USB and FireWire sync cables, as well as the headphone foam covers are like-new. If that wasn’t enough, all the cables even have the protective plastic caps.



On the other side of the box under the iPod sits a like-new FireWire charger.



I love when people take care of their stuff. Just look at this thing! There’s not a mark on it.



Look at the mirror-like finish on the back. I wonder if this iPod was regularly used, or if it “wasn’t their thing” and just sat in the box after a few plays. The seller said they kept it in a silicone case, but I wonder how much it was really used to be almost 8 yeas old and look so new.



It looks awesome up on the shelf.



As well as the box. Gotta love that box.