Doug Harke

Ertl's First 1/64 Tractors

Ertl expanded their farm toy line, in 1967, with a set of 1/64 John Deere tractors including the 1892 Froelich, 1914 Waterloo Boy, 1923 early D, 1939 A, 1952 60, 1958 630 and a 1960 4010. The set was called the Miniature Antique Tractor Set and each tractor was packaged in a small closed box and the set of seven was in a long thin box with pictures of the tractors on the outside. Probably, the inspiration for this line was the hot selling Matchbox toys which were also packaged in small closed cardboard boxes. These early John Deere tractors were crude by current standards but they were the only ones on the market at the time. Early variations had diecast fenders on the 630 and 4010 which were changed to plastic ones on later models. After two years of being available only as set, the tractors were individually packaged and sold that way beginning in 1969. The complete set was also available.

Miniature Antique Tractor Set in the 1967 John Deere toy brochure.

Display in the 1969 toy brochure indicates that the tractors are available separately.

Following the introduction of the new 4430 model in 1972, Ertl announced a “two-inch Sound-Idea miniature” which now became the eighth tractor in the set. The eight piece set in the long box is the most common 1/64 set and this set has several variations including the last one, in the 1980’s, in which the tractors have no hitches. Prior to this, the tractors had hooks for hitches. Early versions of the 4430 had smaller wheels, similar to those on the 4010, and this was upgraded later to the more appropriate larger wheels.

Introduction of the 1/64 4430 with cab in the 1972 toy brochure.

The 1972 catalog shows two types of packaging for the set of seven – the common long box and the blister pack on a card. A gold card is shown in the catalog and this is much rarer than the white card. Finally, the 1973 catalog shows even more variations of packaging, the long box of eight, individual blister or bubble pack, Blueprint set card, and the shadow box.

Long box sets of eight were made until the mid 1980’s even after foreign-made more detailed models of later tractors such as the 4440 and 4450 were offered.

There was a dealer display for the 1/64 toys which had a sloped Plexiglas cover on a Plexiglas box and this is by far the rarest and priciest of the early John Deere sets.

PICTURE CAPTIONS:

Miniature Antique Tractor Set in the 1967 John Deere toy brochure.

Display in the 1969 toy brochure indicates that the tractors are available separately.

Common box of seven in the 1970 toy brochure.

Display in the 1972 toy brochure.

Introduction of the 1/64 4430 with cab in the 1972 toy brochure.

Both the yellow card set and the box set are shown in the 1972 Ertl general catalog.

Complete 1/64 lineup in the 1973 Ertl general catalog shows individual packaging, long box, Blueprint set card, and shadow box.