TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE SWORD IN THE WORLD. Man can be a brutal species – never more so than in the modern age, when technology has allowed us to develop horrifying weapons of mass destruction capable of killing thousands of nameless people in one fell swoop. most expensive medieval weapons world, most expensive japan katana, most expensive sword world, expensive katana sword, expensive car, expensive home, expensive jetplane.
In days of yore, however, before such technology was developed, brutal acts were a much more personal affair. For thousands of years, before even the advent of gunpowder, armies fought in vicious hand-to-hand battles. The battles were ugly, harsh, and extremely bloody, and you had to stare your combattant in the eye as you ran him down.
The weapons responsible for this brutal and intimate act of war have become iconic, even legendary – many weapons become just as famous as their owners, some become mythologised like the legendary King Arthur and Excalibur. Here, we’re bringing you profiles of the ten most legendary and concurrently expensive swords that exist in the world today. Many of these weapons have probably taken lives, and most of them are valuable from a purely historical perspective.
10. 13th Century Kamakura Katana – $418,000
Katanas are traditional, single-edged swords that were used by Japanese Samurai for hundreds of years. They are crafted from the finest materials and are considered the sharpest and most exquisite swords in the world. 125 of these weapons have even been declared as Juyounkabazai – or culturally significant – in Japan. This means that the prized katanas are illegal to sell or export from Japan, and are considered priceless.
In 1992, about 1,100 Japanese swords were put up for auction from Dr. Walter Ames Compton’s collection. The collection was sold for $8 million in just a single day, and included was the 13th century Kamakura blade, selling for $418,000 to an anonymous private collector. It remains the most expensive katana ever sold at private auction.
9. Admiral Lord Nelson’s French Officer Sword – $541,720
8. 17th Century Indian Talwar Blade – $717,800
7. Qianlong Imperial Hunting Knife – $1.24 million
6. Ulysses S. Grant’s Civil War Presentation Sword – $1.6 million
5. “The Gem of the Orient” Knife – $2.1 million
4. Shah Jahan’s Personal Dagger – $3.3 million
3. 15th Century Nasrid Period Ear-Dagger – $6 million
2. Napoleon Bonaparte’s Gold-Encrusted Saber – $6.5 million
1. 18th Century Boateng Saber – $7.7 million
This beautiful sword and scabbard was actually sold twice, first in 2006 for $5.93 million, and again two years later for $7.7 million. The weapon is the second on the list with inscriptions and decorations alluding to the Chinese Emperor Qianlong. It is an S-shaped saber with a fitted white-jade handle stylized with ornate leaves and floret.
TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE SWORD IN THE WORLD
