Pete’s Pick: 40-Year-Old John Deere 4850 Shatters Record

Estate and retirement auctions keep equipment on the move during the busiest month of the year

Machinery-Pete's-Pick-of-the-Week_1986-John-Deere-4850.jpg
(Machinery Pete)

Just as temperatures are shattering records across the country, used tractor prices are heating up. At a sale hosted by Polk Auction Company on March 21, in Rantoul, Ill., a John Deere tractor set a new auction record. This Machinery Pete’s Pick of the Week comes from the Albert Warren living estate auction, where a 1986 John Deere 4850 with 4,100 hours sold for $80,500 - beating the previous record by almost $15,000.

BigIron Auctions also saw record-breaking results during the Tom Keig Estate Auction out of Auburn, Neb., on on March 18:

  • 2003 John Deere 9320 with 1,837 hours sold for $212,500 - the last record at $193,000 held for 15 years.
  • 2013 John Deere 8360R with 1,226 hours sold for $227,500 - the highest auction price in 13 months.
  • 2019 John Deere S770 HILCO Sidehill combine with 478 engine hours sold for $396,250, the second-highest auction price ever.

On March 19, coming in at the second highest auction price on record, a 2017 Versatile 260 with 733 hours sold for $103,400. The online farm retirement auction was hosted by Schmid Auction.

AgWeb-Logo crop
Related Stories
With diesel hitting a record $6.51 per gallon, lawmakers are weighing export curbs that could trigger an immediate domestic price drop — though market experts warn any relief will be short-lived.
Before you unbox a new rig, make sure you can clear the FAA and state regulatory hurdles.
While late-model horsepower commanded top dollar, hidden gems turned heads — including the first-ever 1984 Case 2394 built and a 1999 Chevy pickup that fetched nearly $24,000.
Read Next
After a growing season with multiple windstorms, tornadoes and 15" to 20" more rain than normal, Cody White in Maroa, Illinois is seeing corn bushels 25-30 bushels lower than last year.
Get News Daily
Get Market Alerts
Get News & Markets App