Which Factors Influence the Worth of CS:GO Skins?

CS:GO skins are not only a great addition to spice up the look of your weapons, it can possibly offer you a side income while playing the game.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) skins are in-game virtual items that allow players to customise their weapons according to their preferred style.. These cosmetic items do not offer any tactical advantages to one’s weapon, and yet players are attracted to the idea of applying fancy-looking CSGO skins like the AWP | Dragon Lore as a form of bragging rights in the game.

As the demand for more CSGO skins grow, Valve has since released close to a thousand different CSGO skins with varying levels of rarities and wear-and-tear (or “float values”) with some of them qualified as legendary skins that fetch an insane amount of real money in CSGO skins marketplaces. 

Read Also: Most Expensive CSGO Knife Skins

For example, the original StatTrak M4A4 | Howl CSGO skin was discontinued due to a copyright infringement. And while the “Contraband” CSGO skin was no longer in production, the great demand for this discontinued skin has caused the price to swell so much that it eventually became the most expensive CSGO skin, reaching a record-breaking price of $100,000. 

Other legendary CSGO skins and stickers such as the Souvenir AWP | Dragon Lore and iBUYPOWER (Holo) | Katowice (2014) stickers have enjoyed similar price appreciation due to the rarity, scarcity and the demand of these rare CSGO Skins. Therefore, the on-going narrative of valuable CSGO skins is without a doubt a driver for the lucrative CSGO skins economy. 

These days, many players are intrigued to find out more about the skins economy, and are more willing to check the worth of their CSGO skins online. In this article, SkinCashier will be providing you with a helpful guide, from checking your CSGO skins worth to selling CSGO skins instantly for real money Cryptocurrencies (ie. Bitcoin and Ethereum).

Factors that affect the CSGO skin’s price

As we mentioned earlier, the price of a rare CSGO skin like StatTrak M4A4 | Howl is derived from its rarity and scarcity. Not to mention that CSGO skins with interesting or controversial backstories could influence the demand of these virtual items as well. In fact, every CSGO skin in existence is influenced by these factors that contribute to the price of any CSGO skin in the market – Float Rating, Rarity Level, Special Features like StatTrak, Souvenir and Special Cases. 

In the following paragraphs, we will be explaining how each factor ultimately leads to the derivation of CSGO skins prices.

Read Also: Most Expensive CSGO Skins Ever Sold

Float Ratings

CSGO skins are subject to wear and tear as players apply them onto weapons, where are more commonly known as Float Values or Float Ratings. The float rating will affect the appearance of the skin as players apply them onto weapons. We can identify the float rating of a skin through a value of between 0.00 and 1.00. Fortunately, Valve has also split the float rating across a range of five different names to depict the condition of the skin. For instance, a Factory New skin is a flawless skin that does not display any signs of usage, while a Battle-Scarred skin is badly worn out due to prolonged usage of the CSGO skin in different matches. An overview of the float rating is as follows:

Factory New or 0.00 to 0.07

Minimal Wear or 0.07 to 0.15

Field-Tested or 0.15 to 0.38

Well-Worn or 0.38 to 0.45

Battle-Scarred or 0.45 to 1.00

Collectors of CSGO skins often use the float rating to evaluate the price of a CSGO skin. Although a few collectors are into buying worn out CSGO skins, most buyers prefer a spotless CSGO skin for their collection or investment purposes. Hence, you may need to factor in the cosmetic condition of the CSGO skin if you are planning to buy it like an investable asset. Otherwise, the float rating of a CSGO skin may not affect much in your consideration unless you are very particular with how your CSGO skin will appear in front of your teammates or enemies.

Read Also: Check Your CSGO Inventory Worth and Steam Inventory Value Easily!

For those looking to buy CSGO skins to solely give your weapon a refreshed look, do take note that there is a price difference between the condition of the same CSGO skin. Lower float skins are generally priced at a much higher rate as compared to more worn-out skin. In addition to that, keep in mind that every skin is uniquely different. Some skins with the same float rating may have a darker tone, while some may lose the imagery portion of the skin. Valve has brilliantly designed the CSGO skin to mimic the realistic condition of a worn out item as every item wears out differently.

Rarity Level

This factor could potentially impact the price of the CSGO skin the most. Just like the real world, rare virtual items are often viewed as more expensive due to its scarcity. Likewise, rare CSGO skins are expected to cost more and are not easy to come by, regardless if players try to acquire it through loot boxes or in third-party skins marketplaces. Hence, we need to keep in mind that a CSGO skin for a popular weapon such as AWP or AK-47 are more likely to cost more than those used on less popular weapons.

Special Features

Apart from the two main factors in determining the price of a CSGO skin, Valve has also introduced unique cosmetic features that are sure to turn heads in any given match. Currently, there are three different types of special features that can be attached to a CSGO skin. Applying these features on a typical skin can normally increase the worth of the skin. So, let us delve deeper into each of them and what it entails.

StatTrak

Special features like StatTrak have significant influences over CSGO skin prices. With StatTrak, you can add a “Kill counter” that displays your number of kills made with the weapon. Once the StatTrak’s CSGO skin is sold to another player , the Kill counter will reset so there’s no way to show the frags of the previous skin owner.

Souvenir

Souvenir CSGO skins are distributed mainly from Majors and other Valve-sponsored tournaments. They are part of the souvenir package which comprises commemorative CSGO skins and stickers. Players who own rare souvenir skins often apply the accompanied stickers onto the weapon, before selling them for bigger profits. The overall price of the CSGO skin would be determined by above mentioned factors as well as the value of valuable stickers. To put in a better perspective, the most expensive souvenir sticker (holographic iBuyPower Katowice 2014) costs more than $10,000 per sticker. Imagine sticking four of them onto a rare and factory new souvenir CSGO skin. Yes, we’re referring to that $100,000 StatTrak’s M4A4 | Howl.

Special Cases

Finally, special cases could provide players with weapon finishes that can impact the price of a CSGO skin as well. The most famous example would be that of the Case Hardened finish for weapons, particularly for the AK-47.

Available Methods to Sell CSGO Skins

Equipped with the knowledge of various factors that can influence the price of CSGO skins, it is  a good thing to note that none of the above would matter if there is no one looking to buy your skin. So the value of a CSGO skin is greatly determined by the price that someone is willing to pay. Below is a brief rundown of available methods that you can safely sell CSGO skins instantly for real money, or cryptocurrencies.

Accept Private offers from fellow players

You may seek out buyers personally by reaching out to those who are interested in the CSGO skin that you are selling. That way, you have a better chance to work about the contract and make sure both parties get what they want.

Third-Party CSGO Skins Marketplaces

One of the more popular ways to sell your CSGO skins would be through third-party CSGO skins marketplaces. Reputable skins marketplaces like SkinCashier allow you to not only trade safely, but also to give you the option to receive instant cashout by selling on these platforms. This is often picked as a good alternative to Steam Market since the official marketplace does not allow you to withdraw your earnings into real money or cryptocurrencies.

Read Also: What is the Cheapest CSGO Knife You Can Buy?

Take Advantage of the Lucrative CSGO Skins Economy

Valve has done a brilliant job in CSGO skins, making it react to realistic conditions like wear and tear, and implementing rarity levels on every CSGO skin. What makes CSGO skins so appealing is the fact that unlike other game items or avatars, each CSGO skin is uniquely different. And as more players hop onto CSGO, the demand for CSGO skins will increase for sure.

We do hope that you find our article useful in better understanding the skin economy which have attracted millions of players to buy and sell CSGO skins, as well as factors that could create an impact on the price of CSGO skins. With newer game titles such as Valorant and Call of Duty looking to replicate the successful CSGO skins economy, it is proven that CSGO skins have worked, as it has revolutionised the way game companies and players monetise on virtual items such as CSGO skins.