Historic integrated circuit expected to fetch up to $2 Million

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NEW YORK ?  An integrated circuit that Texas Instruments engineer Jack Kilby used in 1958 to demonstrate his invention of the new technology is expected to sell for up to $2 million at auction.

Christie's is offering the prototype, which helped create the microchip revolution, at auction Thursday in New York City. Texas Instruments is based in Dallas.

The auction house says the integrated circuit was built by Tom Yeargan, a member of the team that executed Kilby's theories on bringing miniaturization to the period's giant computers.

The integrated circuit is mounted on glass and enclosed in a plastic case belonging to Yeargan. It has a label signed by Kilby, who won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work. It's accompanied by a statement by Yeargan, whose descendants are offering the circuit.

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