Buckle up Back in the 1980s, most men owned more belt buckles than pairs of pants. At the same time, belt buckles enjoyed a hobby heyday as the collecting craze focused on these small metal collectibles.
Big-time buckle boys In fact, one retiree with 35 years of service to Deere & Company has managed to amass more than 850 John Deere belt buckles! Certainly, Charlie Trask’s collection in Waterloo, Iowa, is considered one of the best. His collecting counterpart on an international level is Trevor Rowbotham, a marketing manager for John Deere Limited in Australia. His collection is closing in on 500 buckles as of today and he’s still out hunting! To share his extensive collection with the world, he’s created a detailed website with organized categories that include: Trademarks, Engines, Factory, Waterloo, Des Moines, Planter, Harvester, Industrial, World, Australian (of course), Deere Day, Consumer, Parts, and many more. Buying buckles Belt buckles can be bought on eBay for anywhere from $5 to $25 depending on the age, rarity and condition. Many new buckles are still being produced today.
Values typically depend on the number produced. The fewer made, the more they’re worth. Some are as low as 100; others go way up to quantities of 5,000. Most buckles are pewter or brass; some have a gold, silver, or antique finish. Others feature unique leather designs or sport colorful cloisonne or epoxy inserts. Belt buckles are made by Deere, its factories/foundries, its dealers, and even its employees and internal organizations like John Deere Credit. John Deere buckles are not only US-based either…many hail from Canada, Australia, Mexico, and other locations around the world. Some buckles are available to the general public while others are strictly given (or sold) to employees and/or dealers. Other companies and groups have made John Deere-related buckles to commemorate a show, special event, fair, award or milestone. The first ever This simple black and silver logo (see above) is the first known John Deere belt buckle. According to historians, it was issued in the late 1940s and early 1950s as part of a uniform. They were made by Hamlin Manufacturing of Greensboro, North Carolina. Very few have been found today, resulting in a value of $200 to $600 on today’s market.
The large majority of John Deere belt buckles were produced in the 1980s and 1990s. Few were made prior to that except for a pair from 1966/1968 — one features the 450 crawler and the other is the four-legged leaping-deer logo. Industrial buckles were popular in the 1970s and the Portland, Oregon, branch produced Super Service Award buckles in the 1980s. The buckle bible The last book on the subject ("The Complete Guide To Collecting John Deere Buckles") was written by Harold and Frances Kavalier and Roger and Shirley Hintz, which was published by Toy Farmer in 1992. While considered THE source at the time, it is now outdated as buckle production has gone beyond the book’s scope. Several collectors have requested a new resource and The Green Girl is temporarily toying with the idea of creating this guide. If you would be interested in featuring your collection or just buying the book, please drop me a note!
TextÝ © 2001 Brenda Kruse. |
