John Deere model tractor collection fetches over £24,000 at auction
A retired building surveyor in England has sold part of his John Deere toy tractor collection at auction. The sale was run by the auctioneers Cheffins, with buyers from the UK and several other countries.
Part of a collection of John Deere toy tractors belonging to a retired building surveyor has been sold at auction near Cambridge, England. More than 500 lots raised over £24,000. The sale drew attention among collectors because it included rare and sought-after models of the American manufacturer's machines.
The collection and the sale
Peter Green, 77, from Saffron Walden in Essex, built up the collection over 12 years, buying tractors and implements in 1:16 scale. At its peak it held 900 toys and models.
The auction house Cheffins ran the sale at the Cambridge Vintage Sale in Sutton, near Ely, a venue known for auctions of used tractors and machinery. Buyers came from across the UK, as well as from France, Romania, Germany and Australia.
Most of the models were made by Ertl, a company founded in 1945 and one of the world's leading producers of farm toys. The collection also included items by Spec Cast, Gilson Riecke and Nolt.
The top price was £670, paid for a John Deere RX830. A John Deere BR went for £380, and four John Deere 730 models sold for £300.
What comes next
Just over half of the toys have now been sold. Mr Green said he would stay out of the market for a few months, then use the proceeds early next year to expand his collection of 1:32 scale models.
Ted Shepherd, an associate at Cheffins, said the size of the collection helped attract buyers from around the world. All the toys were offered without reserve and all found new owners, he said, with some significant prices paid for the most unusual examples.
