Apple (AAPL, NASDAQ, 52 week range 354.24 – 665.15) did it today! It became the most valuable stock ever to be traded. Apple shares ended the day over $665 per share, giving it a market capitalization of $623.52 billion.

This surpasses the old record that Microsoft (MSFT, NASDAQ, 52 week range 23.79 – 32.95) held when it reached a market capitalization of $618.9 billion on Dec. 30, 1999, at the height of the tech bubble when the NASDAQ was at about 5,000. Today, Microsoft’s market cap is $257.71 billion and the NASDAQ hovers around 3,000.

Ironically, that same day, the other much talked about stock, Facebook (FB, NASDAQ, 52 week range 18.75 – 45.00), traded at $19 per share, half of its original IPO price of $38 per share.

Apple shares have been chugging along the last few months as investors anticipate the launch of the new iPhone 5 and iPad models later this year.

About a year ago, Apple passed Exxon Mobil as the largest currently trade stock and now $200 billion separate the two. To make it even more evident Apple’s current value is about the same as IBM (IBM), Google (GOOG), Intel (INTC) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) combined.

A little history on Apple’s rise to the record:

May 30, 2007 – $100 billion

Jan. 3, 2011 – $300 billion

Aug. 10, 2011 – Beats Exxon’s $331 billion

Jan. 25, 2012 – $400 billion

Feb. 29, 2012 – $500 billion

Aug. 20, 2012 – New record $623.52 billion