Vintage metal sign reading “Riechmann Bros.” above a larger John Deere logo featuring a leaping deer and the text “Quality Farm Equipment.”
via Canva

There are hardly any tractor brands that have attained the impressive icon status that John Deere has. It’s really something to behold. What’s more is that the vintage John Deere items themselves then just skyrocket in their value over time. If you have a handy throwback John Deere item yourself, you may be quite surprised to learn on how much value it has accrued just by the passing of time.

1. John Deere Van Brunt Grain Drill Display

A vintage John Deere Van Brunt seed planter with an open top, showing five compartments. It has a red and green color scheme and is mounted on green legs. The background is wooden.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $3,800

Only three of these John Deere Van Brunt grain drill displays exist. This one still has the original paint, decal, handle, stencil, and base, adding to its vintage appeal and value.

2. John Deere 1/2 Scale Model Tractor

A vintage green tractor with yellow wheels, featuring the words "John Deere" on the side. The tractor has a simple, open design with a single front wheel and a large steering wheel, set against a plain gray background.
liveauctioneers.com and Redlands Antique Auction

Sold for: $3,250

Hey, if you have no need for a real John Deere tractor, this model will scratch the itch just fine. It’s half the size of the real thing, too, so you don’t need farmland to store it.

3. Turner John Deere 101 Pedal Tractor

A small, green pedal-powered tractor with three yellow wheels. It has a metal seat, a steering handle, and is set on a flat, neutral-colored floor. The design is simple and resembles children's riding toys.
liveauctioneers.com and Chupp Auctions & Real Estate, LLC

Sold for: $2,750

It would be really hard to resist the urge to pedal this bad boy around, but for almost $3,000 and its vintage nature, we wouldn’t want to risk its pristine quality.

4. John Deere Farm Equipment Porcelain Sign

Vertical vintage sign with "John Deere Farm Equipment" in yellow text on black background. A yellow deer logo in a red circle appears in the center. The sign is displayed on a wooden surface, with Richmond Auctions logo at the bottom right.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $25,000

This massive sign is six feet tall and strays from John Deere’s typical green and yellow branding. Instead, it sports a bold black, yellow, and red color scheme, which accentuates the porcelain backdrop.

5. John Deere Cast Iron Letter Holder

Bronze John Deere plaque featuring a leaping deer within a circular frame, with "John Deere Moline, IL 1837" inscribed. The plaque is set against a rustic wooden background.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $2,100

Made in 1847, this cast iron letter holder is one of the most relic-like pieces of John Deere memorabilia. Despite its age, the letter holder has most of its original finish with very minimal wear.

6. John Deere Advertising Clock

Vintage clock with a yellow and green "John Deere Sales and Service" sign on top. The clock below shows the time as 10:10. The sign features a deer logo and is mounted on a gray wall.
liveauctioneers.com and Danny’s Auction

Sold for: $1,500

We can visualize this piece of John Deere memorabilia on the walls of a tractor parts store or dealership some-60 years ago. Designed for advertising, this clock is quintessential JD branding with the deer and yellow and green colors.

7. Complete 1913 John Deere Calendar

Vintage 1913 John Deere calendar with a relief portrait of John Deere. The calendar features agricultural equipment illustrations and a calendar page for January 1913. Weathered wood background.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $1,500

This full John Deere calendar from 1913 is in alarmingly pristine condition, justifying its $1,500 price tag. Looking at it, though, it’s obvious that in 1913 calendars were just used for seeing what day it was rather than penciling in events and appointments — perhaps because farming is a round-the-clock job that never ends.

8. 1965 John Deere Toys for Boys Poster

A vintage advertisement with cartoonish art promoting 1965 John Deere toys for boys and little girls. It features a boy driving a tractor and invites viewers to see the "long green line" of toys. Two hands hold the banner.
liveauctioneers.com and Matthews Auctions, LLC

Sold for: $1,400

The tagline “Toys for Boys” is inherently 1965 for this John Deere advertisement, but the “and little girls, too” beneath is almost as hilarious as the possessed look on the boy’s face.

9. John Deere Quality Farm Equipment Neon Hood Sign

Vintage John Deere sign with a yellow leaping deer logo and "Quality Farm Equipment" text, under a green, rusted "Riechmann Bros" marquee. The sign is mounted on a wooden wall.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $107,000

We know plenty of folks shell out north of $100,000 to buy functional John Deere equipment, and well north of that for things like brand-new combines. But $107,000 for a vintage JD sign is mind-boggling.

10. Caterpillar John Deere Porcelain Neon Sign

Vintage neon sign with "Caterpillar" in yellow on a black background and "John Deere" in yellow on a green background. The sign is mounted on a wooden frame against a weathered wooden wall.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $91,000

Now that’s an elite brand combination. And although $91,000 is a lot of money for a sign, imagine what you’d spend on a CAT excavator and John Deere tractor.

11. John Deere Plows 3-Legged Deer Sign

Vintage John Deere sign featuring the words "John Deere" with "Plows" in between. The center depicts a deer leaping over a log. The background is a weathered wooden texture.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $70,000

Most John Deere memorabilia features the standard deer logo with four legs. This John Deere Plows sign, however, has only three legs in sight, making it one of the more rare vintage examples.

12. John Deere Porcelain Neon Sign With Privilege Panels

A vintage John Deere sign with a green and yellow color scheme, featuring the text "B. G. Crandall Co." The sign is displayed on a wooden background, with some visible wear and rust, giving it a rustic look.
liveauctioneers.com and Richmond Auctions

Sold for: $14,000

Porcelain and neon join forces to make this unique piece of John Deere memorabilia, and the privilege panels allowed for additional customization for Grade A advertising.

Meet the Writer

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.