Machinery Pete’s Pick of the Week didn’t shatter any auction records, but it’s worth noting considering this week’s machine of honor is almost 40 years old.
At a Nate’s Tractor consignment auction on Thursday, Sept. 4, in Riceville, Iowa, a 1989 John Deere 4455 tractor with 3,066 original hours sold for $80,750. It’s the 17th highest price Pete has recorded for what he says is a classic tractor with an average auction price of $44,751.
“Five years ago [the average auction price] was just under $37,850, and 25 years ago it was at $37,765, so we’ve jumped [up] here in the last five years,” Pete says. “There’s a lot of love for those 4455s out there.”
The all-time record for a used John Deere 4455 was set last year at an auction in Berlin, Wis. That was a 1992 model with 2,260 original hours, and it sold for $160,000. The previous record high for a 4455 was set in 2023 and it sold for $97,850.
You can take a look at all the historical sales data for used John Deere 4455 tractors over at Machinery Pete by clicking this link.
Fall auction season heats up this week
Machinery Pete says the number of used farm equipment auctions is starting to increase. He believes that is partly due to two factors: high used machine inventories on equipment dealer lots, and more farmers hitting retirement age and deciding to call it quits and sell off the fleet.
Pete says the next seven days represent “a market testing week” and there’s a handful of sales he wants interested buyers to be aware of:
- Merit Auctions is hosting its large dealer auction online and in-person on its inventory yard in Ft. Madison, Iowa, on Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT. Pete says that sale has a lot of late-model equipment and a wide variety of equipment makes to choose from. It features 31 used tractors, five combines, five skid steers and five sprayers.
- Richie Brothers is hosting an online only, timed auction on Tuesday featuring a collection of classic machinery from noted John Deere collector Norman Balzer up in Duke, Alberta, in Canada. There is a 1953 John Deere Model D Wide Front “Streeter” antique tractor that drew Pete’s eye in that sale.
- Hoenig Auctions is hosting its online Sievers Equipment Inventory Reduction auction currently, and the bidding closes at 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Sievers is a Case-IH dealer, and Pete says there is a pair of 2012 Steiger 450 4WD tractors and a 2008 Case IH 2588 combine among many good quality machines in that sale.
- TractorTuesday.com is auctioning off a 1978 John Deere 4840 Powershift tractor out of Ohio among the 394 active listings on its website. TractorTuesday offers zero sellers fees on listings, Pete says.
- DPA Auctions has an online-only auction that starts Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT. There’s a nice 2023 John Deere low-hour 8RX 410 tractor in that sale that could be a winner for someone looking for a bargain on a late-model machine. There are also some classic Alice Chalmer and Farmall tractors available.
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