by Gordy Schultz

            I spent most of the show at my table in the gym selling my 1/64 scratch built and custom models.  I also sold a good bit of literature.  In my brief spare time I look around the show for interesting literature.  One of the pieces I found was something I did not know about.  I had always wondered if John Deere did anything special for its 50th Anniversary of the Deere combine line in 1997.   A special decal was placed on the Maximizer combines in 1997.   My local dealer sold a few of the 50th Anniversary machines, but I never saw a brochure on them. I guess my dealer hid them well or they were scooped up quickly.  John Deere did indeed have a sales piece on the 1997 combines.

1997 John Deere 9600 with 50th Anniversary decal

1997 John Deere 50th Anniversary Folder

        John Deere provided its dealers with a special folder in 1997 to commemorate the self-propelled combine lines 50 years.   The folder has the 50 Years decal on it with side of a 9600 combine showing.  In side is a fold out brochure/poster entitled: 50 Years of Combine Leadership.  The 1997 Maximizer improvements and new features are laid out in a nice poster. This brochure also points out all the improved features found on John Deere Maximizer combines from 1990-1996.  It is a buyers guide to quality pre-owned Maximizer combines. The folder also conveniently has a 31 page brochure, giving a complete guide to 9000 series and CTS Maximizer performance upgrades.  Every part and enhancement is covered. 

1997 John Deere Maximizer Accessory Guide 

        For a literature collector the most interesting part of the 50 Years packet is the flip side of the Maximizer buyers guide poster.  This side of the poster gives a brief history of John Deere self-propelled combines from 1947-1997.  This section shows a 1947 No. 55 combine, 1958 No. 95 combine, 1970 7700 combine, 1985 8820 Titan II and 1989 9600.  This time line highlights John Deere innovations that changed harvesting history. 

1997 John Deere 50th Anniversary brochure/poster

       Some of the innovations include a feeder house reverser, sidehill combines, the first corn head, hydrostatic ground drive, 12 row-crop head, cone shaped wide spaced duals, rubber boggie wheel tracks, 20 foot unloading auger and about 20 other features.

 50 Years of John Deere Combine Innovation 

      This is a great piece of John Deere combine literature.  I am not sure how rare it is but it must not be too common as it took me six years to find a copy.  I attend auctions and shows almost weekly in search of literature and the 50 Years of self-propelled combines literature has not turned up until this years National.