The Toy Tractor Times Anniversary Tractors

Original TTT Tractor: 1986 Massey Harris Pony 

     The Toy Tractor Times Anniversary tractors were launched in 1986 by Rick Larsen TTT's founder.  To celebrate the magazine Rick began a pioneering process to offer a unique collectable tractor.  In the mid-1980's the trend to create collectible to mark farm shows was to take an existing tooled tractors and ad your show decal or have a commemorative tractor made by a custom toy maker. These custom tractors were not approved by the Original Equipment Makers (OEM) so they were sold as "red", "green" "orange" etc... tractors that you add the model and brand decals yourself.  This method was the flying under the radar approach. 

     Rick Larsen wanted add to the history of the farm toy hobby with The Toy Tractor Times Anniversary Tractors.  Rick and his wife Linda looked at the toy tractors offered in 1986 and in the past and decided that the small horse power tractors of the 1940's and 1950's that mechanized the smallest farms in America for the first time after World War II were not represented in the farm toy hobby.  Rick began collecting farm equipment literature on small horse power tractors.  The Massey-Harris Pony jumped out from the brochure pages and Rick decided it would be the perfect anniversary model.

    This is the pioneering effort of the story.  Rick Larsen went to Massey-Ferguson the owner of the Massey-Harris brand to ask for licensing for the Pony.  This approach was unheard off.  Normally toy tractor companies would acquire model rights not individuals.   Over a period of months and many phone calls Massey-Ferguson granted The Toy Tractor Times the rights to offer a toy model of the Massey Harris Pony. Having OEM licensing allowed Rick to produce an authentic model and promote under the Massey Harris name and history.   

    TTT's tractor line was off and running.  Now the tractor needed a producer.  Rick turned to a fellow toy collector he had become friends with through Iowa toy shows.  Lowell Brusse of Spring Valley, MN had produced toys under the name Pioneer Collectables.  Lowell agreed to take on the MH Pony project. 

   Toy Tractor Times readers and other collectors were excited about the Massey Harris Pony.  A small horse power tractor model was a brand new farm toy for most enthusiasts.  Sales were impressive with 1,740 Pony's sold in 1986.  The great MH sales lead to eight more horse power tractors tractors from 1986 to 1993.  The set includes the Massey Harris Pony 1,740 made, Allis-Chalmers B 1,820 made, Minneapolis-Moline V 1,038 made, Oliver Super 44 2,535 made, John Deere L 3,450 made, Farmall A  5,000 made, Vase VA 2,500 made and the series ended with the Ford 9n with 1,548 made.  

    In 2003 The Toy Tractor Times will launch a new collectors series for its 20th Anniversary with mid-range tractors of the 1970's.  Ertl began producing TTT tractors in 1991 and has produced majority of the anniversary tractors.   In 2003 Ertl will produce the 1st in the 1970's collectors set by offering a 1/16 1973  Allis-Chalmers 7030.  TTT is proud to work with AGCO to offer this American classic in its 20th year because the original anniversary  model was also an AGCO brand.

20th Anniversary TTT Tractor: 1973 Allis-Chalmers 7030

  The Toy Tractor Times is a farm toy magazine that began in 1983 and serves collectors nationwide. 

TTT August 2003 Page 17

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