John Deere Merchandise Mall

If you're a John Deere toys lover, you'll want to visit Ye Old Country Kitchen in Snow Camp, North Carolina. John Deere toys line the walls, they're found on the shelves and in display cabinets. Along with the toy tractors, there are toy airplanes, John Deere trucks, and even a snow mobile.

Fred Ertl, Sr. is now known as the definitive pioneer of the toy tractor industry. But in 1945, he was contentedly going about his duties as a journeyman foundry molder.

Fate took a hand when two unrelated events occurred simultaneously. Ertl was laid off from his job, and his son broke his John Deere toy tractor. When fixing the toy was impossible and replacing it was inconceivable, Ertl replicated it instead.

Out of both serendipity and necessity, a cottage industry was born. Ertl decided to take a stab at selling his painstakingly made toy tractors. He made his business decisions based on the resources at hand, and his family helped out with the assembly and finishing.

His choice of metal was based on the melting temperature of aluminum. Ertl’s 1,800 degree coal furnace generated more than enough heat to do the job. World War II’s aircraft industry kept him supplied in the defective pistons he needed as raw materials.

The use of aluminum was a big change from the traditional use of iron for farm toys. Ertl’s toy tractors were an overnight sensation, and manufacturing farm toys became big business. His original John Deere Model A is in high demand today.

Skip ahead three decades, to 1972, when Ertl began making plastic model kits. Five years later, Ertl’s son Joe established a company called Scale Models Toys, with its own attached manufacturing facility. He produces many brands of farm toys and tractors, including 1/8 scale, 1/4 scale pedal toys and 1/16 scale tractors.

Meanwhile, Fred Ertl Sr. merged with Racing Champions, who make toys in sizes anywhere from 1/16 down to 1/87.

The late 1970s to the mid 1980s were a turning point for “closeted” farm toy collectors. Fascinatingly, grown men who collected toys were shy about it. They couldn’t reject their hobby, but they were embarrassed to announce it to the world.

Why was the stigma lifted? The hobby was changing and growing. Collectors were becoming more demanding. Fred Ertl Sr. was ready for them. He created a very successful and incredibly detailed Precision series. His company very wisely produced few of this line, so that it would become a rarity.

Painstakingly made and true-to-life farm toys will be popular forever. Over the last two decades, Ertl, now renamed as RC2, has manufactured over 50 million molded metal toys. In 2010, the Ertl brand name triumphantly hit the 60-year mark.

Photo by rocketlass

The John Deere company is the largest name in tractors and yard machines in America (and today, John Deere toys), but it has not always been so big. Even from the moment that it began, however, it has had a proud and optimistic outlook that is dedicated to providing the very best. John Deere declared when he started the company that it would be only the best, because he refused to put his own name on something that was anything less. The company has stayed committed to this goal into the present day, and chases it with everything that they do.

As the Midwest has developed, John Deere has flourished. The company began with a single steel plow in 1837, giving pioneers the ability to farm in the center of the spreading country. The company began manufacturing more plows with this same design, moving from the single product in 1837 to one hundred in 1841. In four years, the company was producing one hundred times the amount of goods, and this was only the beginning.

By 1849, the year of the gold rush, John Deere was convincing people not to head for California, but to stay in the Midwest and farm. He had moved his business to Moline, had a new shop constructed, and produced over two thousand plows. Business did not stop growing there, however. The original plows had been selling for around six to ten dollars, but by the year 1900, the company was able to make two million dollars, a large fortune for the time.

The First World War brought with it many of the innovations and inventions that wars always bring, and some of them impacted the John Deere Company — such as the gasoline-powered tractor. The company adjusted and grew, staying always on the edge of technology. The Second World War provided the same situation, and even more innovations were made, since the company had survived the Great Depression. These innovations, such as the Model M Tractor, were not made during the war, however, when the company made trailers and other supplies to fuel the war effort.

After the wars, the company saw massive growth until it became the giant that it is today. Much of this had to do with excellent financial work, surviving both the small depression in the 1850s and the larger one in the 1930s. Most of it had to do, however, with the commitment to quality at all times.

Photo by ЕленАндреа

A guide to getting started with John Deere collectibles

Were you raised on a farm? Or do you just love the history and lore of farm machinery? Either way, you’ll love collecting farm toys. John Deere toys are among the hottest memorabilia on the market right now, and many of them are growing in value. What a legacy for your grandchildren.

If you own a farm or have access to a historical house, take your flashlight and go rummage in the attic. Your family may already possess some valuable farm toys and not be aware of it. If you find an old John Deere toy tractor still in the original box, you’ve hit pay dirt. Heirlooms with a source that can be verified are more valuable. The other two factors in determining value are condition and degree of rarity of your piece.

Beware of unscrupulous sellers who produce Deere knockoff toys. An easy way to verify authenticity is to check the actual model numbers of authentic Deere tractors and other farm toys.  Today, Ertl and Spec Cast are the best-known producers of John Deere toys.

Custom made toys make great collectible treasures, but be sure that they are signed by the maker, or include authenticating documents. If you are a serious collector, this is a must.

For any item that you are thinking of buying, examine it in a strong light, and with a magnifying glass if possible. There are two reasons for this:

1. To make sure that you don’t overpay for the item
2. To avoid buying a damaged or poorly mended item

Note that some antique pieces are so valuable that a small amount of damage is not as important. One such example is a solid walnut plaque with the deer image and “John Deere” carved into it.

The tractor is instrumental in feeding the American family. Since tractors are the central pieces of equipment on any farm, they are a great place to start your John Deere collection.

Kids love tractors, and pretending that they’re in control of a huge, powerful machine. It’s also a great opportunity to teach them about the vital role that farms play in our daily lives. Your children will love displaying their booty of farm equipment—perhaps you can build or buy them a special shelf for this purpose.

John Deere collectibles remind us of old-fashioned values, and a work ethic that is increasingly rare. They also remind us of the wonder of childhood—why not remind yourself of that wonder every day?