EAST MOLINE, Ill. — History is up for grabs in East Moline.
"Shiny paint sells," Mike Smith said.
Smith is from Ohio, and is selling three vintage John Deere tractors at the Fall Premier vintage tractor auction hosted by Mecum Auctions at The Bend Xpo Center in East Moline.
This is not Smith's first time at the auction in the Quad Cities, though, and he knows how much the Deere legacy means to the community.
"You go out to eat in the evening here and you're like, 'Who do you work for? Oh, John Deere.' So you know it's huge to this area," Smith said.
Smith started collecting the vintage tractors about 15 years ago and says his father started collecting them in 1995.
"In my mind, it’s the Cadillac of farming equipment," Smith said.
"I think it’s a testament that John Deere has provided so much for so long to the community, and beyond," Brenda Hoffman added.
Hoffman is selling 13 tractors at the auction this weekend.
"They’ve always been a part of me, and my family," Hoffman said.
Her collection, though, is one she is ready to share with the next generation.
"My husband passed away and I am no longer able to maintain them properly so I want to get them to a good home where someone will love them as much as we did," Hoffman said.
Hoffman's husband, John, died about two years ago.
"John Deere was his passion," Hoffman said.
Now, she is passing on both legacies.
"It represents fun and family and friends and camaraderie that we’ve had through the years of owning them," Hoffman said.
Both Hoffman and Smith hope the legacies of their beloved tractors will last another long lifetime.
"You want ‘em to shine down the road, you know?" Smith said.
The auction runs through Saturday, November 13. Bidding on the tractors starts at 9 a.m. on Friday.
For a full list of the tractors available, to make an online bid and for more information about the auction, click here.
