The Rare Vintage John Deere Tractor That Collectors Dream Of Finding At Auctions

Old farms and estate sales are treasure troves for anyone willing to dig through a barn full of rusty hay rakes and milk cans. But collectors who dream of finding a rare tractor at an auction are looking for a piece of history that's largely out of their reach. One such rare collectible vintage tractor model is the Waterloo Boy Model N. These aren't small thrift store finds, and you're unlikely to find one sitting in an old barn.

In the early 1900s, the farm implement brand Deere and Company was struggling to compete in the expanding farm equipment sector. Looking for ways to bring a tractor to market, Deere purchased the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918 for $2.25 million, which gave Deere a quick way into the tractor business.

The Model N was the last tractor produced under the Deere and Company name before the John Deere brand was adopted. In 1918, the Waterloo Boy was a moderately priced model at $750, equal to about $16,700 in 2026 when adjusted for inflation. Almost 100 years later, these tractors are a lot less affordable — a restored Model N sold at an auction house in 2023 for $100,000.

Some old household items are valuable, but few are in the same category as a century-old farm tractor restored to near-perfect condition. The Waterloo Boy tractors were produced until 1923, and were already comparatively rare in their own time. There are even tractor clubs that have sprouted up around the country, with hundreds of people working together to collect vintage farm equipment like these models.

While rare vintage tractors like the Waterloo Boy are certainly collectors' items, most aren't as pristine as the one that sold for $100,000 in 2023. That specific tractor has an engine that was restored by Kenny Kass, a well-known collector who passed away in 2021. The precise restoration work made this already valuable find even more of a collector's dream. Before it sold, it was even put on display at fairs, tractor exhibitions, and a John Deere dealership. And while few people need a classic tractor for their home and garden, a century later, John Deere still tops the rankings with the best riding lawn mower of 2026.