Corn Planter Lids and Seed Plates: Makers, Patterns, Damage and Reproductions
Long before plastic seed hoppers, corn planters and grain drills carried cast-iron lids and seed plates, often with the maker's name cast right in. Today those lids and plates are a natural next step for anyone who collects cast-iron implement seats or implement wrenches. They're compact, marked, display well on a wall and connect directly to the companies that built farm equipment. Here's how to identify them, judge condition and avoid the reproductions.
What planter lids and seed plates are
A corn planter typically had two or more seed boxes. Each box had a lid to keep out rain and debris, and inside, a seed plate that turned to drop seeds at a set spacing. Different crops and seed sizes needed different plates, so farmers kept sets of them. Grain drills and other planters used their own lids, plates and feeds.
Many manufacturers cast their names, logos, model information or decorative patterns into lids. That makes them a lot like cast-iron implement seats: a direct, marked link to a maker, often from a company that later merged, changed names or disappeared.
Lids vs plates at a glance
| Planter lids | Seed plates | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Top of the seed box | Inside, at the bottom of the box |
| Typical features | Hinge lugs or pins, maker name, patterns, sometimes a model or number | Holes, notches or cells around the edge; a center hub; part numbers |
| Collector appeal | Display, maker names, decorative designs | Variety, part numbers, completeness of sets |
| Common damage | Cracks, broken lugs, welds | Cracks, worn cells, rust |
| Reproduction risk | Higher on popular names and designs | Generally lower |
Identifying the maker
Most lids identify themselves, but a few habits help:
- Read every bit of lettering in raking light: maker, city, patent dates, part numbers. Some names are faint after decades of wear.
- Look at the back. Part numbers and letter codes are often on the underside. Like implement wrenches, those codes can tie a lid to a specific maker and planter. See our implement wrench guide for how collectors use part numbers.
- Check catalogs and parts books. Period implement catalogs and parts lists often illustrate lids and plates with part numbers. Our catalogs and manuals guide covers where to find them.
- Use brand and regional history. Planter and drill makers came and went, and many were regional. Ohio, for example, had significant seeding-equipment makers, which our Ohio archive covers on the main site.
A lid with no lettering can sometimes be matched by shape, hinge style and back-side part numbers. Photograph it carefully with a ruler and ask in implement collector groups.
Condition: what matters
- Cracks: look closely around hinge lugs, edges and any thin sections. A crack can be hiding under rust
- Welds and brazing: old repairs are common; check the back and lug areas
- Broken or ground lugs: missing hinge parts reduce completeness
- Paint: traces of original paint are interesting; full repaint is a restoration
- Lettering wear: crisp, readable lettering is a plus
- Pitting: deep rust pitting softens detail and can't be reversed
Cast iron cracks if it's dropped or hit, and old lids saw a lot of both. A loupe and good light are worth having when you're looking at lids at a sale.
Reproduction lids
As with seats, popular names and attractive designs have been reproduced, some openly as decorative pieces and some later passed off as old. General warning signs:
| Check | Original often shows | Reproduction may show |
|---|---|---|
| Casting sharpness | Crisp letters and edges (allowing for wear) | Soft, rounded, grainy lettering and edges |
| Size | Matches documented examples | Slightly smaller, from casting off an original |
| Back side | Consistent age, wear and part numbers | Rough, gritty, freshly ground or blank where numbers should be |
| Hinge lugs | Wear from years of opening and closing | Little or no wear; sometimes missing or crude |
| Rust | Varied: darker in protected areas, worn on high points | Uniform orange or artificially aged surface |
None of these checks is conclusive on its own. Use several together, compare with documented originals and get expert input for expensive pieces. Our sign authenticity guide uses the same layered approach.
Collecting seed plates
Seed plates are a quieter niche, but they have their appeal:
- Plates were made in many patterns for different crops and seed sizes
- Many carry part numbers and maker marks on the face or hub
- Sets that stayed together with their planter or box can tell the story of what a farm grew
- They're compact, affordable to research and display well in groups
Keep plates organized by maker and number, and record where each set came from.
Cleaning and display
- Dry brush loose dirt and rust; use picks to clear lettering gently
- Protect with a thin coat of wax rather than paint or rust converter, unless you've decided to restore
- Wall-mount with hardware that supports the weight and doesn't stress cracked lugs
- Keep indoors; outdoor display steadily degrades surfaces and lettering
Our cleaning guide covers when rust and paint are evidence worth keeping.
Building a planter lid collection
Lid collectors tend to settle into one of a few approaches, and picking one early keeps a collection focused and makes research easier:
| Approach | What it looks like | Research tip |
|---|---|---|
| By maker | Every lid variant from one company or its successors | Parts catalogs and brand clubs are your best sources |
| By region | Lids from makers in one state or area, often local foundries and smaller firms | County histories, local museums and old farm auction bills help |
| By design | Decorative patterns, lettering styles or unusual shapes | Photograph and measure everything, because pattern names are informal |
| With seats and wrenches | A maker's lid, seat and wrench displayed together | Cross-reference part numbers across all three |
Whichever route you take, keep a simple record for each piece: maker, lettering, back-side numbers, measurements, condition notes, where you got it, and a photo of both sides. That record makes future research, insurance and resale far easier, and it travels with the lid if it ever leaves your hands.
It also helps to know what tends to turn up together. At farm sales, lids often come in box lots with other planter parts, such as plates, hinges, drive parts and markers, or still attached to a planter sitting in a fence row. If a whole planter is on offer, look at the boxes before the lids come off. Lids still on the machine they came from carry the strongest story.
Researching value
We don't quote prices. To research a lid or plate:
- Identify the maker and pattern, including back-side part numbers
- Search sold listings for that maker and pattern, separating cracked or welded examples from sound ones
- Check farm auction and implement-collector sale results where lids and seats appear together
- Ask implement collectors and brand clubs about scarcer variants
If you're shipping a lid you bought or sold, pack it like any cast iron. See Shipping Cast Iron Without Regret.
Frequently asked questions
What is a corn planter lid?
It's the cover for a seed box on a corn planter. Many older lids were cast iron and carried the maker's name or a decorative pattern, which is why collectors seek them out.
How do I tell an original planter lid from a reproduction?
Compare casting sharpness, size, back-side finish, part numbers and hinge wear against documented originals. Use several checks together, and get expert help for expensive pieces.
Are cracked planter lids worth collecting?
They can still be interesting, especially for scarcer makers, but cracks and welds affect desirability. Compare sold results for sound and damaged examples of the same lid.
What are seed plates?
Seed plates sat inside planter boxes and metered seed through holes or cells. Different plates handled different crops and seed sizes, and many carry part numbers.
Bottom line
Planter lids and seed plates are compact, marked and full of company history, which makes them a great fit alongside seats and wrenches. Identify the maker from front and back, check carefully for cracks and welds, layer your authenticity checks, and protect the surface rather than repainting. When you want to compare examples, browse cast-iron planter lids on eBay alongside period parts catalogs.