$18,000 on an April 7, 2012 farm auction in northwest Michigan. This 1971 John Deere 4020 tractor with “unknown hours” broughton an April 7, 2012 farm auction in northwest Michigan.

This 1972 John Deere 4020 with 3,660 hours drew intense bidding interest on a March 24, 2012 farm auction near Bremen, OH on a sale by Leith Auctions.

A pair of recent farm machinery auctions proved again the rising bidder interest in acquiring nice condition John Deere 4020 tractors.

A March 24, 2012 farm auction in southeast Ohio, near the town of Bremen featured a very nice 1972 JD 4020 open station tractor with 3,660 hours. Auctioneer Doug Leith reported to me they had four bidders still in on the tractor up past $25,000. It would up selling for $28,000 (see picture above).

Then on an April 7, 2012 farm auction in northwest Michigan, a 1971 JD 4020 with “unknown hours”, but in good condition, sold for $18,000 (see picture above). Pushing $20,000 for a 4020 with “unknown hours”…wow. Amazing proof of the continued rising values on the nicer condition 4020’s floating around out there in farm country.

Helping to drive prices higher on these nice 4020’s is the coming push of the new “collector buyers” on the Deere 20 Series tractors, made from 1964-1972. Yes, buyers are paying rising premiums to acquire the very nicest condition 4020’s to still use around the farm, but now they are increasingly bidding against folks looking to collect these low hour or original condition older gems.

Watch for this trend to only pick up speed going forward.

About Machinery Pete: Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson has been working in the agricultural industry for 21 years and details agricultural equipment prices and trends at his website, Machinerypete.com. Greg also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine, Agriculture.com web site and also appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.