by Jason Hasert


        Keeping Current with 64th is a column designed to update 1/64 collectors on the smaller size farm toy models and trends in the scale. During the National I noticed that many of the toy dealers had boxes of opened but mint condition 1/64 tractors on their tables. These tractors ranged from new to 1980's 2wd tractors. This month we will look at out of the box 1/64 tractors and their value trends with models from 1973 to the mid-90's.

       The 1/64 scale has a strong following. As we covered earlier this year in TTT the 1/64 scale emerged in 1973 with the John Deere "Soundgard" IH 1466 and MF 1155. By the end of the decade there were 9 new 1/64 tractors including the Allis-Chalmers 7045, Case 2590, Case Agri-King, Ford TW-20, Ford 9700, International 1086, John Deere "4440", John Deere "4430" and Massey-Ferguson 2775. Ten years later their was an assortment of 1/64 tractors from Ertl and Scale Models. Ertl offered Case International, Deutz-Allis, Ford-New Holland, Hesston, John Deere and Massey-Ferguson 2wds in 1/64. Scale Models had a wide range of 2wd White tractors and a Fiat tractor. In the late 80's new 2wd tractors were selling for $2-$3 at dealers and collectors had a selection of row crop, fwa, dual and loader tractors in 1/64 across the brands. At this time the original 1973 tractors were selling for $100 new in box and out off the box they were in the $70 range.

        Why so much for the 1973 models? In the late 1980's Ertl was only producing modern tractors and 1930's and 40's vintage sets for CaseIH and John Deere. At that time collectors did not think the 70's models would be available again. Since the 1960's Ertl had really only focused on modern offerings in all scales and vintage was not a big trend. Collectors were willing to pay big bucks to purchase a 1970's 1/64 tractor to have one in their collection. Another strong market for the 1973 originals was for the display and custom market. If a collector who had a model farm wanted a 1466 or an 1155 they had to have one of the originals. Many 1466 and 1155 toys were customized with dual wheels and saddle tanks. With many 73' models customized the availability of mint pieces decreased on the collector market.

 Then and Now: The original 1/64 tractors vs. their modern day remakes  

         Everything changed in 1992 when Ertl announced a series of eight 4 piece box sets of the IH 66 series. A total of 32 66 series IH tractors were produced between 1992 and 1994. The 33rd tractor was released at the end of the series. That model was a replica of the 5 millionth Farmall. Over night the 1973 1466 with a hook hitch looked pretty crude with a selection of 966, 1066, 1466 and 1566 tractors with hydro, turbo and black stripe decals, dual wheels, 2 and 4 post rops, IH and custom deluxe cabs. The new in box 1466's still bring around $70 now because of their rarity and collectible heritage. The out of the box 73' 1466 can be found in the $25-$30 but if you are good at haggling you can probably pick one up for $20.

       The same fate has followed for the MF 1155 and John Deere "Sound-Gard". The hook hitch John Deere was never given a model number but most people consider it be a 4430. This model has never brought much outside of its individual blister card because a refined "4430" and then "4440" and "4450" followed it in the late 70's and early 80's. Dan Adamson had an informative article on these models in the October issue of The Toy Tractor Times. The MF 1155 with a hook hitch was ridding high until 2000-2001 when Ertl brought out a new 1/64 scale 1155 with cab windows and other detail. Collectors were thrilled to have a new and improved 1155 but the value of the original dropped overnight out of the box into the $15-$25 range.


1992 1466 re-make with 1974 original 1466
2001 MF 1155 remake with 1973 original 1155

           Here is a comparison of the 1466, 1155 and 4430 to their modern counter parts. John Deere has taken one more step with the 4430 in 2003 offering a new 1/64 scale 4430 with extra details never offered before. The new 1466, 1155 and 4430 models are very nice and have really cut the interest off in the originals. Collectors who want all the variations on there shelves most likely bought the hook models years ago and new collectors or people who have farm displays want the new ones for the model number and the detail. They are not interested in the historical collectors past of the hook hitch models.

  

2003 John Deere 4430 remake with original 1973 Sound-Gard "4430

            Today all those tractors from the 1980's and the 1990's are catching up with the 1/64 market. There are well over 300 hundred 1/64 tractors available to choose from this time period. This number only includes model number and tire options. If you go into decal, show, collector, dealer and box variations there are thousand. Dan Adamson and Jason Dalton two prominent 1/64 variation collectors, can account for box variations and has 3,500 pieces. In a 30 year time period 1/64 as a scale or many of those variations. Dan mainly collects out of the box variations and has nearly 2,200 pieces in his collection. Jason Dalton collects variations an has offered more choices than any other scale to collect.

     CaseIH is a prime example of the choices a collector can have. Here is picture of a small sample of Magnums you can find. CaseIH can probably claim more 1/64 2wd choices than any brand in the 80's-90's time period. From 1987-1998, Ertl used the original Magnum casting to create the 7120, 7130, 7140, 7150, 7210, 7220, 7230, 7240, 7250, 8920, 8940 and a new scale 8950. Add on 2wd, fwa, duals, fwa/duals and loader options to those model numbers and you have just about every Magnum choice you could want. With so many Magnums available it is impossible for these 1/64 tractors to sell for very much. Very few 1/64 collectors are going to collect them all but most people are happy to be able to choose their favorites with out having to customize. 

CaseIH has more 1/64 tractors on the market than any brand with the Magnum 7100, 7200 and 8900

         The IH 5088 was one of the most produced single 1/64 toys ever. From 1982-1987 over 20 variations were made between grill decals, rivets, wheel colors and cab paint detail. The 5088 was at K-mart, Wal-Mart, Kay-Be Toys, Toys-R-US, toy stores, toy stores and IH dealers. Other CaseIH tractors like the 2594 and Magnum 7130 also were sold as general toys every where in the 80's. This makes these models extra common.

          Ford-New Holland toys like the others offer so many models they are not rare. Not to slight Ford or blue but it does not have the following of John Deere green or CaseIH red and these tractors in many cases can be found at New Holland dealers today mint in the box , even though they are 10-15 years old.


$4 name your make 5088, 2594 or 7130 .
 New Holland/Ford offers many classic buys for $4

       AGCO has a nice variety of toys between Ertl and Scale Models with Allis-Chalmers, Deutz-Allis, AGCO-Allis, White, Oliver, Cockshutt, Minneapolis-Moline and Massey-Ferguson. Looking at the two most popular AGCO lines in 1/64 Allis-Chalmers and White alone offer so many models it is hard to keep up. There were multiple Allis-Chalmers and Deutz-Allis 8070's offered and several green Deutz-Allis and orange AGCO-Allis tractors from Ertl and Scale Models. Scale Models dominated the White line through the 1980's in 1/64. There are so many decal and tire options it is hard to say just how many Whites are out there. Ertl picked up some White models with the White American 60 and 80 sets in 1988 and has also offered a number of Oliver 1655 and 1655 models in M-M and Cockshutt AGCO historical sets.


$4 will buy you some nice AGCO Heritage tractors.
 White/Oliver 1/64 by Scale Models and Ertl offers some great choices for $4.

        So we know there are allot of 1/64 tractors. This article only looked at 1/64 tractors as they progressed from 1973 through the 90's because they are getting older. Often as toy tractors age they jump up in value. This is very true for 1/16 and until about 1992 held true for the 73' originals and the late 70's models. Out of the box these tractors were selling from $30 to upwards of $70's. As another decade passed turning the 1/64 scale 30 years old the options out paced the collector. When the scale was 10 years old there were less than a dozen row crop models to collect. When twenty years had passed the market was flooded with not only 2wds but 4wds, combines and implements. Today not only are new tractors coming out monthly in 1/64 but vintage 2wd and 4wd sets are a yearly introduction and more and more combines and implements with high detail come out each year. It is now almost impossible to find the time, money and space to collect every 1/64 tractor or model. This leaves the old 2wd tractor out of the box over flowing the market.

 

The new Sound-Gard tractor casting puts the old versions out to pasture.

      Every collector feels their collection is worth a fortune. In 1/64 it may have cost a fortune build a collection but do not speculate it will jump up in value. Hopefully if you do sell out it is a break even deal. There are so many choices keeping collectors very happy that the older models lose interest because of the new tooling and detail now available. Also so many 1/64 variations have been made it is hard to call any one 2wd model number rare. Keep in mind that in many cases well over 100,000 units of a particular model were probably made during its run.

      The good news is just about any 1/64 model offered in the 80's and 90's can be had for $4. Even those one time ultra expensive 1/64 models have come down to earth. I was happy to pick up some nice mint out of the box tractors like the White 185, Case 2594, Case International 7130, Ford 8770, Oliver 1655 and some others at the National . Some of these tractors I had new in the box others are dusted covered so I wanted some clean opened models for my display and shelf, and it did not cost me much.

       Do not get to down about the $4 price. There are still many 1/64 models that command some hefty prices. Next month we will look at the general release models that are out the box and still command a hefty sum. That article will be followed by what these same 1/64 models new in the box bring today.

 

TTT November 2003 Page 7

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