Eyeing for one of the best-looking combat weapons ever created is a vision that is shared by many in the world.
Some people would go so far as to do anything to get their hands on these weapons of choice.
One Of The most beautiful-looking swords ever forged in the world goes by the name katana or some people might refer to this weapon as a samurai sword.
You don’t have to be an actual samurai to own a katana, anybody can get a pretty good katana for a decent price.
But there is always more to it than meets the eye. This article will show you all the things you need to know about the cost of katana and what makes them expensive?
Table of Contents
How much does a katana cost?
On average, you can get a good-looking katana with authentic quality for a price tag between the range of $2000 to $5,000. The cheaper version of katana goes on sale for under $500. While the look and feel of the sword will be the same to an amateur eye.
A deeper or closer look at the sword will reveal all the cheap elements of the katana.
If money is not a problem, then you can think about getting a Tokubetsu Hozon katana. They are expensive compared to your average samurai swords in the market but these swords will have far more quality to them that is difficult to find in any regional market.
Going all the way into the katana market will reveal all the valuable information you will need to judge the sword. Many people don’t have the experience of the eye to judge a sword as beautiful as a katana.
Expensive katana can reach $25,000
If you are planning to spend like there is no tomorrow, then a good katana with all the essential beauty that you expect a sword of that caliber to have will cost you around $25,000 or more. These swords will be crafted by the most masterful modern smiths in the world. Unlike the cheaper variations, they know their skill and have the experience to make the sword as perfect as it would have been centuries ago.
When it comes to finding a valuable katana in the market at a solid price it is difficult. As for all things in the world, the sky’s the limit. There are plenty of factors that play into the katana, that make them more valuable than other ones in the market. Some factors are an artistic skill that is used to make the katana, the artist who made the katana, the period the katana was made, and most importantly the historical significance katana holds in the world.
If you count all of these factors, it is pretty fair to say that these katanas will easily reach the price tag of $25,000 to $100,000.
Cost of Katana By Types
There is a lot to say about Katana, but here is something that you should know before making the decision to buy a katana sword for yourself.
- Tachi- its history dates back to the Koto period with a curved blade handle. People had to carry this sword by having the back of the sword pushing upward and the edge facing backward.
- Uchigatana – The sword translates to “Strike” and Gatana refers to “Sword. It is a pretty good sword but not the high-quality one that people expect to have.
- Shin-Gunto the quality of Shin-Gunto swords is really popular around the world. Near everything about them oozes the style and remarkable artistic element that people liking up to have to see.
- Daisho – It means big or little. These are the most common forms of katana that you can find in the market. Many people have used this version of katana as it is highly affordable and you can get it on their website.
These are the swords available to purchase for anybody who is interested in buying the sword.
One thing that you do need to be clear of is the quality and authenticity of the product. There are thousands of products that can tell you it is safe but it is better to mess with these kinds of deals.
Katana Price Point Breakdown
Buying a katana using the rating system is the best decision you can make before purchase. Newcomers will have no idea about the authenticity of the product, as there are thousands of fakes in the market.
Every day thousands of fakes arrive in the market designed to fool people into thinking that they are buying a real katana.
Plagiarism can be hard to detect, especially for someone who has never been in the market or doesn’t know how to spot a fake katana in a bunch. This is where the rating system comes to save the day.
Katana Under $200
If you are looking to buy a Katana, and the money that you want to spend is under $200. Then you will get a great Chinese-made mono steel sword that may look like a katana but it will be flawed.
When you go under the radar of $500, you can expect to get a low-quality product with a flawed condition.
Restoring them will cost you more than the initial price, even if the sword gets a proper restore treatment, the chances are less likely that you will get a superior product out in return. It is going to be the same sword with more flaws on the surface.
Going under the $200 is bad as it sounds when it comes to buying a sword of any kind. The material and the craftsmanship will be much worse than you think.
The product might look good or decent at the beginning but as the month passes, it will start to reveal its true picture. If you are planning to use the katana for any practice session, then the wear and tear on the sword will show up much faster.
Katana Under $3,000
This is where we get to the decent katanas in the market. But in the price figure, it is easy to push a fake one that looks identical to a real one in any shop.
In most cases, under $3,000 is the best category to be in for purchasing a sword.
The sword in this price category will have a full mount, good quality production, attention to the decoration aspect of the blade. When you go under the $3k category, all you can expect is a medium-lasting product that carries all the appeal of a traditional sword.
Under $3k is perfect for people who just want to get the sword for decorative purposes. Here you will get good quality craftsmanship made of solid material.
This will give the sword a much-needed good lifespan and quality that will last for a long time before showing any sign of damage. Professionals will see the $3k range of katanas as decent because it rarely contains any serious problems. The chances of finding a good $3k katana with a decent quality build with artistic merit. But if you keep looking, you will eventually find the one that you are looking for in the sword.
Katana Under $15,000
The modern-day artistic design on the katana follows a pseudo-Japanese style. The sword may not offer much quality but it will be more affordable compared to the lineup at the top. But if you are looking for products that go under the $3,000 or $15,000 budget, then the modern designed katana is a good choice of product to purchase. It may not have the top gear quality that one might hope to see on a katana, unless you are professional swordsmanship, you won’t be able to spot any minor or major differences. These blades are very well made, as they are made from a general perspective of the traditional blades. The traditional blades will have cleaner details compared to this one but they will be far more expensive.
In the price range of $3,000 and $15,000, you will see products with decent craftsmanship, functionality, and good artistic value. This category is for people who don’t want a cheap variation of katana in their possession. If you are looking for a good-looking katana that looks and feels good on the surface and on the palm. Then staying in this price range will come with a great list of katanas with various qualities.
Katana Under $25,000
This is the point where you will reach the top-end quality of katanas in the market. The value of the katana in this price range will come from an artistic skill that went into making the sword and the value it holds in the market.
If you are extremely lucky, you might grab the qualities of swords in this price range such as Tokubetsu Hozan for a low price tag of $8,000. While it is rather difficult to find a good-looking katana with all the functions and parties mentioned above in this price range. But the online entries for this price range seem favorable for more people.
Katana Under $50,000
If you want your sword done by modern smiths, then they will charge you over $50,000 just to make one sword. The price you spend on the katana will deliver the result that you were expecting out of it. These modern age smiths or as they are known as Gendai will put heavier attention to the details of the sword and everything around them. This will be a far better option for people who want to get the authentic vibe out of katana.
Beyond the threshold Katana Above $100,000
Sky’s the limit, when it comes to katana that statement holds a lot of facts and theories to back it up. Katana with high historical value will be considered as more important. Here a decent sword will come between the price range of $100,000 to $200,000. Here you can expect the best to be delivered inside the box.
The katana in the price range it’s something that you want to see to believe the real work that went into making these swords. Although they might not carry the same value as the real traditional sword in the market. But they will look fantastic and will add more value to the overall decor in the room.
Government Rating
The government has made specific rules on various cultural arts in japan. One of the rules non-NBHK allows applied only to cultural art objects and national treasures.
These rules make sure that people who buy authenticated Cultural katana objects can own them but three is one condition. The owner of the sword must not leave the country with the sword. Here you will find various swords in the price bucket of $500,000 to $700,000. And some swords have crossed the mark of $1 million. But that happens less than other swords going up closer to that price range.
FAQ
Are katanas illegal?
In most places, it is certainly illegal to own any type of sword-like weapon that list includes katana. If you are interested in buying a katana make sure to do some research beforehand about the city stance on buying katana.
Why do some people call Katnanas a Samurai Sword?
When you look at the value of the sword from a traditional value, you will see samurais back then carried two types of sword, the shorter one out of two was called Katana.
Should I get a cheap katana?
Nope, avoid as fast as possible. They will wear out quickly in terms of quality and value.
Conclusion
The cost of katana will vary from one product to another. Spending more will get you the best looking katana with artistic design and traditional value that will raise the value of the sword more in the future.
Unfortunately they are difficult to find under a moderate price range. Either they come in the price of 6 figures or more. But one thing for sure, which is to avoid buying a cheaper version of the katana. The cheaper they are the more easily they will break.
