Sales of Deere 4430s Escalate

Not that long ago a cherry John Deere 4430 like the one seen here would have been a hot auction item for farmers seeking a chore tractors. The 4430, the most popular of the Generation II Deere’s introduced in 1972, was a reliable workhorse for farmers first in their fields during the 1970s and 80s after which they were often kept by the original owner or bought by a second owner for lighter-duty field chores such as baling or running an auger.

But increasing interest in this vintage horsepower by antique tractor collectors has set the stage for bidding wars at auction between farmers and collectors. 

An example of this occurred right in front of me at the Wieman Auction’s (wiemanauction.com) December consignment sale held near Marion, South Dakota. While covering the auction for the Successful Farming television show I witnessed a farmer and a collector going bid-to-bid on a 1978 IHC 684 tractor. The final bid on the tractor was $5,700.

The animosity being expressed by the farmer toward the collector beating him out of the sale was noticeable. I overhead the farmer mutter something about “that tractor needs to be working, not sitting in a collection.” 

Such drama aside, the trend toward collecting 1970s tractors keeps expanding. Interest in 100-hp.-plus models is particularly keen as evidenced by some of the sale price on Deere 4430s seen below.

YEAR                        PRICE                       SPECS

1979                         $16,900                 9,096 hrs., one-owner tractor, original and in nice condition

1977                         $14,000                 7,776 hrs., Power Shift, differential lock, engine heater

1976                         $13,500                 8,119 hrs., air conditioning works

1976                         $13,500                 10,761 hrs., front-wheel-drive 2 hyd., PS, cab, duals

1976                         $12,900                 8,445 hrs., like-new tires, one owner

1976                         $11,900                 8,345 hrs., dual PTO, new rear tires, recent repaint

1976                         $7,150                    3 hydraulic outlets. rear & front weights

1976                         $12,900                 13,635 hrs., engine overall at 10,000 hrs., 100 hrs. on new clutch

1975                         $11,900                 6,318 hrs., one owner, always shedded, full rack of suitcase weights

1975                         $9,800                    7,724 hrs., Power Shift, engine overhaul at 5,712 hrs. 

1975                         $8,000                    5,172 hrs., loader like new, differential lock

1975                         $20,400                 4,500 hrs., Duals, one owner, rear wheel weights

1974                         $16,400                 6,049 hrs., Deere 148 loader, rebuilt rear engine & transmission 

1974                         $14,700                 7,696 hrs., Deere 158 loader

1974                         $8,800                   Tach replaced and showing 95 hrs., Deere 158 loader.

1973                         $12,400                 3,876 hrs., engine header, differential lock

1973                         $10,100                 11,000 hrs., with loader, 3 hydraulic outlets

1972                         $15,400                 5,233 hours, with loader, rear wheel weights, new battery