What Is a Sabre Worth?

Updated: August 2026

An original Wehrmacht (Heer) officer's sabre is today worth, depending on condition and maker, a guide value of roughly 200 to 800 euros; elaborate luxury versions with etching on both sides of the blade reach considerably more. Kriegsmarine (German Navy) sabres sit fundamentally higher: real auction results show 995 to 1.340 euros for original officer's pieces with the characteristic lion's-head grip. For Luftwaffe (German Air Force) officer's sabres we have not yet found a reliable price source — more on that below.

Guide Values by Version and Condition

All figures are guide prices based on real sale and auction prices from German specialist dealers and the Ratisbons price database (as of August 2026). In the end, the actual price depends on the individual piece — send us photos and we'll give you a concrete figure.

Two notes on reading the table: first, the gap between the Heer and Kriegsmarine figures is not a coincidence but genuinely grounded — lion's-head sabres of the Kriegsmarine were made to a higher standard and procured in smaller numbers. Second, lion's-head sabres in particular are heavily reproduced: a more recent reproduction of the same model traded for 185 €, well below the level of an original. For the Luftwaffe, we have not been able to find a reliable price source with real sales data — the Luftwaffe's primary ceremonial weapon for officers was the flyer's dagger, not a dedicated sabre pattern. Bring us photos and we'll assess the piece individually, rather than invent a figure we can't back up.

Source: ratisbons.com (Vergleichsangebot einer Löwenkopf-Reproduktion, 185 €, kein Original), retrieved 2026-08-28

What also pulls the value up: a complete hanger, an original sword knot, an intact scabbard with a high proportion of original lacquer, and an ensemble of uniform, effects and photographs of the original owner.

Original or Fake?

Sabres are among the objects where maker's mark, construction and state of preservation together account for a difference of several hundred euros. Five points we check for:

1. Maker's mark on the ricasso. Well-known Solingen firms include Eickhorn, WKC (Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie), Alcoso, PS Solingen, Robert Klaas, F. W. Höller and E. & F. Hörster. A missing or atypical signature on a piece offered as "high quality" is a warning sign, not proof — genuine period pieces without a mark also exist.
2. Blade construction. Original blades are slightly curved, usually fullered and nickel-plated. Coarse, straight or unplated blades on a supposed original don't fit the picture.
3. Guard (basket, crossguard). For the Heer, gilded brass with an oak-leaf design. For the Kriegsmarine, the characteristic lion's-head pommel with coloured glass eyes (red/green, for port/starboard) and an anchor motif — it is precisely this lion's-head version that is heavily reproduced, see above. Source: ratisbons.com, retrieved 2026-08-28
4. Grip. Black plastic or celluloid with a complete, unbroken wire winding. Loose or missing wire lowers the condition but is not, on its own, a sign of forgery.
5. Scabbard. Black-lacquered steel. The state of the original lacquer is itself the central value criterion in the specialist trade ("98 % original lacquer", "90 % lacquer") — a scabbard that looks too new, or is lacquered inconsistently, on a supposed original warrants a closer check.

If in doubt, we check the piece from your photos — that costs nothing and commits you to nothing.

A Brief Historical Background

The Wehrmacht officer's sabre goes back to an army regulation of 1935 which, as part of the Wehrmacht's rebuilding after the reintroduction of general conscription, set a new, standardised pattern — this is how several specialist dealers consistently report it, though we don't have a primary source for the exact date. The sabre thus stands in the tradition of the Prussian-German officer's sabres of the Imperial era and the Reichswehr period.

Unlike the helmet or belt buckle, for example, the sabre was usually not a centrally issued piece of equipment but was procured by the officer himself — it belonged to the walking-out uniform and parade dress, not to Second World War combat equipment. For the Kriegsmarine, officers adopted a separate, more elaborately worked version with the lion's-head pommel already mentioned, which picks up in detail on the ship's tradition of navigation lights (red/green).

For today's valuation, that means: Heer officer's sabres are comparatively widely available, Kriegsmarine pieces considerably rarer and correspondingly more expensive. A note on the legal position: buying and selling original sabres from this period is legal in Germany. Where pieces carry national emblems with a swastika on the blade, guard or sword knot, the same restriction applies as for other objects from this period — the public display of such symbols is governed by § 86a of the German Criminal Code (StGB) — but for a discreet valuation and sale to a collectors' house, that plays no role for you.

Selling Without Risk

We are a Spanish collectors' house buying throughout Germany. We buy for our own collection — with no dealer's mark-up. Concretely, that means: we don't have to factor in a resale margin, so we can pay you a collector's price.

Here's how it works:

1. Send photos via WhatsApp to +34 665 164 779 — both sides of the blade, maker's mark, guard, scabbard and sword knot if you have one. Two minutes, no obligation.
2. Free valuation within 24 hours. We tell you whether the piece is original and what we will pay for it.
3. Payment in cash, as soon as we've agreed on a price. We view larger collections and estates in person — anywhere in Germany.

You don't need to send anything before the price is set, and you don't have to sell if the offer doesn't suit you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I sell a historical sabre?

To a collectors' house or a specialist dealer that buys militaria from this period — private buyers carry more risk here given how densely this segment is faked. We assess your sabre free of charge from photos and pay immediately once we agree.

Is selling a Wehrmacht sabre legal?

Yes. Owning and selling original sabres from this period is legal in Germany. Only the public display of swastika symbolism is restricted under § 86a StGB — that plays no role in a discreet sale to a collectors' house.

Why is a Kriegsmarine sabre worth more than a Heer sabre?

Because it was made to a higher standard and procured in smaller numbers. Real auction results show 995 to 1.340 euros for Kriegsmarine officer's sabres, while a Heer officer's sabre usually sits between 200 and 800 euros depending on condition and maker.

What about Luftwaffe sabres?

For original Luftwaffe officer's sabres we have so far found no reliable price source with real sales data — the Luftwaffe relied primarily on the flyer's dagger as its walking-out weapon. If you have such a piece, send us photos and we'll assess it individually.

How do I know if my sabre is genuine?

From the maker's mark in the typical location, the slightly curved, fullered and nickel-plated blade construction, a consistent guard, and a scabbard with a believable degree of lacquer ageing. The Kriegsmarine's lion's-head grip in particular is frequently reproduced. No single feature is enough on its own — we always check the piece as a whole and tell you the result free of charge.

Does the scabbard increase the value?

Considerably. The state of preservation of the black scabbard lacquer is a value criterion in its own right in the specialist trade — between a piece with badly damaged lacquer and one with nearly all-original lacquer, several hundred euros can lie.

Sell Sabre

More guide values: SS dagger · Luftwaffe dagger · SA dagger · Bayonet · Hitler Youth knife