Tractor prices

[LJKCK]

Is it a sign of the times or just lack of interest, but it seems antique tractor prices are soft this fall. Been a few auctions around that I have been watching and other than some weird exceptions, there are some good deals.
One exception was a VAC, narrow front, 1947, ran good with new paint but no options sold for $4500 a couple weeks ago.
Used to not be able to touch a running LA for under $2000 in this area, and seen some nice ones go for under $1500. Even the green ones are subject which is suprising to me. They have to be really rare to bring decent money.
What's everyone else seeing?

 

[Don Rudolph]

Rare tractors still bring good money, common tractors are going down. The people who grew up on 40's and 50's machines are leaving the market and restoring a common model has become too expensive to ever recoup your money. Too bad for those of us who invested in tractors for retirement income. Don

 

[J Hamilton]

I'll know more on this tomorrow, going to an auction with a wide variety of makes and models. Some run some don't and some for parts. 1930's to 1970's year range on them

 

[Hoofer B]

Don, Just keep using your old Cases for retirement income. Bill

 

[Nedd]

I think timing and model makes a world of difference. Around Iowa 7-10 years ago a Case CC sitting but loose poor tires would bring $500. Today they bring $1500. Running $2000. Last few tractors Ive bought just around scrap price but just because I want to keep parts around. As said, rare ones are more $$$ but a lot of the rare tractor parts interchange with common ones.

 

[Bret4207]

In my area what used to be a $3500.00, 1930's-50's tractor, right out of the field, is now a $800-1500.00 tractor. All the people that bought N series Fords for $2500.00 and then put another grand or 2 into them so they were all prettied up can't get half of their costs back. OTOH, later model diesels with live PTO, decent hydraulics, power steering, etc are holding their value pretty good. I think the sort of people that used to buy the N series are buying the compact utility stuff from Kubota, Mahindra, etc today. The collectors of old tractors are dying off too.

 

[tomturkey]

I never thought of my tractors as an investment. They were bought with my expendable money. They were a hobby and nothing else. Its getting easier to just set nowadays, probably time to allow some one else to have some fun. I'm upside down on everyone of them. but that does not matter to me. gobble

 

[tractorguy2]

Live auctions are pretty rare here. Only two last year and so far none this year. last year I watched a Ford 860 sell for $4000. Which is the same price the last one I watched sell which was in 2001. 860's don't come up for sale very often. The other tractors I watched were a 861 diesel which had transmission and injector pump issues with very bad rear tires sold for $2350. A rough 1939 Farmall H with a four speed tranny. The auctioneer bought for $600. Said it ran but wouldn't start it. And an IH B414 that ran on three cylinders sold for $2800.

 

[LJKCK]

I agree Tom, I am upside down on most of mine too. I do have a list of semi-rare Cases I would like to own in my lifetime and it seems like about one a year presents itself. The problem is in my area all the Case guys literally wore them out so anything in the fence line is only good for some tin work if you're lucky. So I have to travel a bit to find decent tractors.

 

[J Hamilton]

Went to a live auction today, Southern Illinois. I'll list some prices from today.
Farmall F20 not running $850
Farmall F14 not running on full steel $1050
Farmall M & Super M running $800-$1900 range
Farmall M not running $250-$700 range
Case VAC good paint & all new rubber $800
Case 930 diesel 8spd running $1675
Case 430 running $900 didn't sell
John Deere B running $2650
Farmall H restored nice good rubber $3850

I bought a Case 3X14 trip plow on steel for $250

 

[LJKCK]

Without seeing them in person things seem about the same except the H. Even dolled up they don't bring too much here. And the 430, would have brought over 2500 in this area since there aren't many around and the small acreage people would have ran the bid up.