Can anyone tell me what the letter J might represent on this bayonetjust below the date where the barrel would rest

Inspector's mark.

Good looking example.

Thank you

1918 dated sawback is quite scarce as the Germans had been removing the saw teeth prior to that.  Nice.

 

Lance 

On 6/25/2026 at 9:41 AM, lmrobil said:

1918 dated sawback is quite scarce as the Germans had been removing the saw teeth prior to that.  Nice.

 

Lance 

Thank you... It's hard to tell but I was thinking it was 1916?

The "8" looks like a double strike to me.  Just a little sloppy strike.  

Thanks, Sarge...... Sometimes it looks like a 6 and sometimes it looks like an 8.... Any way to tell for sure by features or markings of which year it was?

Not really.  One finds a lot of light, or sloppy, strikes on these inspection markings.  Particularly late in the war.