A lot of people have asked me if pawn shops will buy swords. If you are asking yourself the same thing, then this is the article that you will want to read.
Of all of the questions I get, some really stand out. This isn’t one of those.
all seriousness though, people do ask me if pawn shops buy swords more often than you might expect.
The answer to that question depends on two things.
First, it depends on the pawnbroker in question.
You have to understand that pawn shops aren’t like Walmart.
There is no one master plan book that tells every pawn shops what they have to take in, how much they have to pay for it, etc.
So, if the pawnbroker who runs that pawn shop isn’t comfortable in dealing with weapons of any kind (as some aren’t,) then you will be out of luck when it comes to pawning or selling your sword, bazooka, or grenade launcher to them.
With that in mind however, most pawn shops are happy to look at things like knives, swords, and in a lot of cases, guns as well.
Things like swords can have a lot of value, and where there is value, there is almost always some kind of demand, making it a good loan for the pawnbroker in question.
The second thing that this all depends on is what kind of sword you have to begin with.
Just like everything else, there are super cheap “Collectible” swords out there that look very cool, but are normally made in Pakistan or China and have very little real value other than their ridiculous and massively inflated price tags when you buy them new.
There are also some very fine, expensive swords out there that are worth tens of thousands of dollars in some cases.
Equally, there are very old swords that were used in wars that are worth a good amount of money if they’ve been kept in good condition as well.
A lot of people have asked me if pawn shops buy swords and the answer isn’t incredibly straight forward. It will depend on the pawnbroker’s comfort with weapons and the sword itself. That having been said, the right sword could be worth thousands of dollars, so it’s always worth checking!
Finding A Pawn Shops That Buys Swords
The first thing that you have to do when trying to sell your sword to a pawn shop is to actually find a pawn shop that would be interested in looking at it to begin with.
Now, fortunately, this is a very easy process.
All you’ve got to do is to go to Google.com and search the phrase “Local pawn shops” or “Pawn shops in my area.”
Google will give you a list of pawn shops in your area, complete with their names, addresses and phone numbers.
You’ll want to make a list of these as you will call them one-by-one to ask them these three questions:
Do you buy swords?
What do I need to have with my sword in order for you to consider it for a loan or for a sale?
What do I need to have with me to make a loan at your pawn shop or sell something to you? (State ID, Picture ID, Social Security Card?)
Once you’ve got 2 or 3 pawn shops on your list that will look at your sword(s), then it’s time to actually get them read to be looked at.
How To Prepare Your Sword For A Pawn Shop To Buy It
Now, obviously, if you are thinking about selling your sword to a pawn shop, then you are probably doing so because you are a little tight on money at the moment.
It could be just because you don’t want to look at the thing anymore, but realistically, when people are selling things to a pawn shop, it’s normally because they are in a pinch.
Either way you go though, you want to get the most money possible for it.
Let’s talk about how to do that for a moment.
How To Clean Your Sword
Cleaning your sword before you take it into a pawn shop is critical.
The idea here is to make your sword look as good as possible, without negative affecting the finish of the sword.
With older swords, swords that are really worth some money in many cases, people often will want to remove any rust, oxidation, or patina with a wire brush, sandpaper, etc. That’s a horrible idea – don’t do that.
All that will end up happening is that you will negatively affect the sword’s value as it then may be considered “Altered” or “Poorly restored.”
If your sword is older and has rust on it that’s not excessive, let it stay for the most part. A professional craftsman would be the only person that you would want to clean this up as they will maintain the sword’s integrity and preserve it’s value as well as possible.
Caution: Remember to be safe and wear gloves at all times. Don’t apply so much pressure that you could cut yourself, as is easy to do when cleaning a sword.
Step 1: Apply Rubbing Alcohol To A Cloth
You don’t have to soak the cloth, but apply a good amount to it.
Step 2: Carefully Wipe Down The Blade
Be sure to cover the tip, as well as any grooves that may be in the sword itself.
Step 3: Apply Sword Or Mineral Oil To A Cloth
Again, you don’t have to use a huge amount, but you can be pretty liberal here without any adverse effects for the most part.
Step 4: Carefully Wipe Down The Blade Completely
Be sure to cover the tips and any grooves, just like you did with the rubbing alcohol. You want a nice, even surface layer of oil on the blade, so that it looks “Wet” but not so much that oil is dripping off of it.
Find Documentation On Your Sword
If you can, take a little bit of time and research your sword, unless you already know exactly what it is.
Print out some of that documentation you find on it and take it with you to the pawn shop.
Some pawn shops deal with swords on a regular basis and may know exactly what you have and are bringing to them.
Others however may not deal with swords on a regular basis and will appreciate you doing this beforehand.
Additionally, if you can demonstrate what your sword exactly is, it will make the whole process at the pawn shop much faster, and additionally, you may end up getting more for your sword in the end.
Mandy Dormain started working for Pawn Nerd in 2020. Mandy grew up in a small town in northern Tennessee. But moved to New York for university. Before joining Pawn Nerd, Mandy briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers politics and economy stories.
