This year, the first weekend in June, toy collectors celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Summer Farm Toy Show in the farm toy capital of the USA, Dyersville, Iowa. Vendors filled the National Farm Toy Museum gym and Beckman auditorium with farm toys.
Toy collectors from all over the Midwest and beyond come to this summer show to see the latest and greatest in the farm toy industry. Dan Myers, VP OEM Sales for Spec Cast Collectibles, said award-winning niche publication Heritage Iron will be offering a variety of farm toy models.

“The first tractor of the Heritage Iron series will be a Farmall 1206 Wheatland,” Dan shared. “Sales will be through Case IH dealers, and hopefully it will be released in October.”
Heritage Iron is the antique tractor magazine published by 3 Point Ink and edited by Sherry Schaefer, who is also well known for the other publication she edits, Oliver Heritage. The Heritage Iron series, like the magazine, will focus on tractors produced between 1960-80.
Besides this series, there will be shelf model variations such as a 1206 two-wheel drive without a cab. “The Vintage Iron versions, these will be the shelf models,” Dan explained.

The second model in the Heritage Iron series will be the Oliver 2255 and, like the first version, there will also be Vintage Iron selections. “We are working with Sherry and we are going to use her (Heritage Iron) logo. We hope collectors of all niches will want these collectibles,” Dan said.

Other new Spec Cast offerings on display at Dyersville’s summer show included a 1/64th AGCO Challenger and Massey models, both of which Dan thought would be out this summer.

“We also have a new 1/16th diecast John Deere two-bottom model 44 plow and a three-bottom Model 55 plow,” Dan added.

He stressed that these models are diecast and said they are not offering much in the way of resin models anymore because collectors prefer the diecast models.

Another new model out is the Toy Tractor Times 1355 Minneapolis-Moline. This tractor was advertised and will be available in early July through AGCO dealers and the Toy Tractor Times, an online toy collector magazine.

“I think orders for this model are already filled,” Dan said. “This model came with dual rear wheels and front weights.”

In August, Spec Cast will also be releasing a toy model White 2270. “We can do the White, Moline and AGCO off the same tools,” he said.

Also on display was a John Deere LA with a Mud Lug wheel that was used for working in the mud.

This model will soon be released, as well.

For more information about Spec Cast and its offerings, check out www.speccast.com

For details about Heritage Iron and ordering information, log on to www.heritageiron.com

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.