The Most Expensive Skins in CS2

Skins in Counter-Strike 2 are not just images: they form a real market with its own rules, demand, and numerous earning schemes. Their prices range from a few cents to hundreds and thousands of dollars. The final cost is determined by the quality and rarity of the skins. In this article from the author yeellee you will learn about the most expensive skins in CS2. Use Profilerr to learn more about the inventory of players Yuri “yuurih” Santos from FURIA or Lotan “Spinx” Giladi from Vitality, and also evaluate s1mple, stavn, or jeorge CS2 settings in the game.

What Affects The Cost of Skins in CS2?

The price of skins in this game is determined by several factors. These factors include:

• Use of a specific skin by a professional CS2 player. In this case, the price jump may be temporary, and it may soon return to its previous level.
• The presence of expensive stickers on the skin. In this case, the price will increase by approximately 70% of the cost of a certain sticker.
• Appearance and design. The beauty of the skin is perhaps the basic criterion that allows you to determine the price. The more beautiful and brighter it is, the more expensive it is.
• Demand, relevance, popularity.
• Degree of wear. It ranges from Factory New to Battle Scarred. The most expensive ones, of course, are the “Factory New” skins.
• The rarity of the drop. The lower the probability of receiving a skin when opening a case, the more expensive it is.
• Expensive skins in CS2 also depend on the presence of a StatTrak counter. Another criterion worth mentioning is whether they are souvenirs or not.

Leading Most Expensive In-Game Skins in 2024

Among the expensive skins in CS2, there are not only weapon skins, but also gloves and knives. However, for now let’s look at firearm skins, which can cost several thousand dollars.

Karambit | Case Hardened (Blue Gem)

This skin is the most expensive knife in the history of the Counter-Strike shooter, and for good reason. It exists in one copy: in more than 1,618,000,000 cases opened during the history of the game, karambit was obtained only once. That is why the chances of getting it are 1 in 371,000,000.

The knife was purchased in 2016 for $100,000. The current owner of this expensive CS2 skin refused to sell it for $1,500,000. This solidified the skin’s position as one of the most coveted in the game, and its value is now estimated at 2,000,000. Externally, the skin represents status and prosperity.

AWP | Dragon Lore (Souvenir)

This is a skin with the Covert rarity, available in a souvenir version. This is one of the most popular AWP sniper rifles. It was created as a commemorative sign for CS:GO ESL One Katowice 2015. The cost of the item starts at $50,000 and can reach $20,000, depending on the condition and the presence of stickers.

The distinctive feature of this expensive skin in CS2 is the fiery red dragon depicted on the body of the rifle. The dragon’s body is decorated with Celtic designs. This skin gained particular popularity after it appeared in the arsenal of an experienced shooter player under the nickname s1mple.

There are only 12 of these skins in the shooter, making them a target for the most dedicated collectors. The only way to get it is through the Cobblestone Collector’s Case, which is only available while watching live broadcasts of major gaming tournaments.

AK-47 | Wild Lotus

This is another expensive skin in CS2. It has an interesting bright color: pink and purple lotus flowers, open and in the form of buds, are painted on a green background. The elegant and sophisticated design makes the skin attractive and desirable for many players. It belongs to the Covert rarity skins, is not available in the version with the StatTrak counter, and does not have a souvenir version.

In March 2023, a CS2 item collector from China spent approximately CNY 1,100,000 on this skin, which features 4 Reason Gaming holographic stickers from EMS One Katowice 2014. These stickers are the reason for the high price.

Now the cost of the AK-47 Wild Lotus skin reaches $16,300, but it varies and depends on the condition, external features, and the presence of unique stickers on the body.

AK-47 | Gold Arabesque (Souvenir Version)

This is also a fairly expensive skin in CS2, which belongs to the Covert rarity skins. It has an attractive design: the body is covered with gold paint, and the magazine is intricately engraved in the form of a floral design. Overall, the subject matter is quite simple but remains memorable. It’s even called the most glamorous in the shooter, all thanks to its gold color.

The souvenir version costs up to $10,000. This is quite a status skin that remains desirable for collectors. Previously, its price was lower due to the large number of souvenir cases that contained this skin. Now such cases are unavailable, so the cost of skins has increased significantly.

M4A4 | Howl

This skin is considered the most scandalous in the history of the shooter. In 2014, it became known that the image on the skin was protected by copyright. As a result, the skin was redesigned and removed from the case.

This is what caused the M4A4 | Howl to become popular and very expensive. The skin has a “Contraband” quality (the only one in the shooter); you can only get it by exchanging it with the owner. The average price ranges from $3,000 to $15,000 but can reach $100,000 to $200,000 (for a Factory New version and with StatTrak counter/ Holo stickers).

Final Thoughts

Counter Strike’s popularity grew even more in 2024, partly due to the release of the game on a new engine, as well as constant improvements in the quality of the game. CS2 has approximately 750,000 monthly active players in 2024. To compete with so many players, it is worth dedicating enough time to training and equipment. Use Profilerr to learn about the features of professional teams, in particular the skins that players use and the settings used by players in the game. With a variety of services, Profiler is available to players from Chicago (USA) to Brussels (Belgium) around the clock.