Is it possible that a 22-year-old tractor today can be worth the same or more money than it was worth 10 years ago?

Yep.

Odd but true. I discovered the facts while looking at our auction sale price data today on Deere 4450 tractors. The 140-horsepower tractors were manufactured by Deere from 1983 to 1988.

Back on August 18th of this year, on a farm auction in northwest Illinois, a 1984 model JD 4450 with 2,400 hours sold for $35,750. It was a two-wheel drive model in "excellent" condition.

Scanning back through our data all the way to 1996, check out what these two-wheel drive JD 4450 sold for.

$29,100: 1983 model, 1,910 hours, sold in southeast South Dakota

$29,300: 1983 model, 2,941 hours, sold in southeast Illinois

$31,500: 1983 model, 3,200 hours, sold in south-central Minnesota

$32,000: 1983 model, 3,869 hours, sold in northeast Kansas

$33,000: 1983 model, 2,721 hours, sold in east-central Illinois

$33,600: 1983 model, 2,300 hours, sold in southwest Minnesota

$34,900: 1986 model, 1,479 hours, sold in south-central Michigan

Remember now, each of these JD 4450 tractors sold at auction 10 years ago, in 1996. Pay attention to the last 4450 I listed above and compare it to the 4450 that just sold in northwest Illinois (1984 model, 2,400 hours, $35,750). The 4450 sold 10 years ago in Michigan had nearly 1,000 fewer hours on it, was only 10 years old when sold (versus 22 years old) and it still sold for $850 less.

Amazing.

But these are the facts. Put it up for sale on the open market, and buyers will determine what a piece of used farm equipment is worth.

Click here to download a PDF of auction sale price data for John Deere 4450 tractors from today, five years ago, and 10 years ago.

Is it possible that a 22-year-old tractor today can be worth the same or more money than it was worth 10 years ago?