Antique WW2 Japanese Sword

Delving into the world of Japanese sword collecting is a bit like drinking from a fire hose. There's a lot of information out there and it's difficult to make sense of it all. For a new collector, it's hard to distinguish fakes from the real thing, and it's tricky to learn about all the different types of militaria available online. I can't hope to provide you with a good overview here, but I can provide links to comprehensive sources, and point out some of the items currently available for sale.

The most popular WW2 Japanese sword, of course, is the Katana, or Samurai's sword. These swords often date back hundreds of years, but became popular "spoils of war" for returning American GIs. You'll find the genuine item for sale on eBay or in local antique shops. However, be wary of any deal that seems too good to be true -- swords being sold as the real deal are often fakes or replicas.

Genuine Katana swords from WWII sell for $1,000 or more. If that's too expensive for you, you'll also find replica swords available for sale that are attractive and make great additions to any beginning collection. See our Katana reviews for a few that we like.

Find WW2 Japanese Swords

• The Connoisseurs Book of Japanese Swords

Some WWII Japanese swords for sale on eBay:

WW2 Japanese Army Officers Sword Completely original very nice US $510.00   15 Bids Auction Ends: 30m

sword 84 Japanese Cherry Blossom ww2 II Edged collect US $172.50   6 Bids Auction Ends: 5h 51m

ORIGINAL JAPANESE WW2 NCO SWORD MATCHING NICE US $1,050.00   Auction Ends: 8h 9m

WWII Japanese Arisaka Type 30 Sword Bayonet Tokyo Kokura Arsenal US $167.50   0 Bid Auction Ends: 9h 46m

WWII Japanese army GUNTO sword tsuka saya tsuba US $222.50   12 Bids Auction Ends: 9h 49m

ORIGINAL late WWII Japanese Navy Officers Kai Gunto Sword with Anchor Stamp US $995.00   Auction Ends: 19h 41m

WW2 Japanese Naval Officer Kaigunto Sword Kashira Hilt Cap US $25.00   0 Bid Auction Ends: 1d 40m

WW2 Japanese Sword Steel Tsuba US $36.00   4 Bids Auction Ends: 1d 58m

Vintage WWII Japanese Sword PARADE SABER Original World War 2 US $72.00   6 Bids Auction Ends: 1d 3h 36m

JAPANESE WWII TYPE 98 ARMY OFFICERS SWORD US $861.00   22 Bids Auction Ends: 1d 4h 23m