In 2013, Valve released the Arms Deal update for CS:GO, during which they introduced skins into the game. Skins are purchasable and tradable graphical additions that make firearms, knives, gloves, and other items of player equipment look different. Every day, thousands of CS:GO players from Chicago (Illinois) and Houston (Texas) are looking for opportunities to replenish their inventory with a new skin, as it allows them to express their play style and create a special atmosphere in the team. In this article, written by Volodymyr Huda, you will learn about the rarest skins in 2023. You can also learn more about CS:GO pro settings using the Profilerr site.
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What Is The Value of Skins?
There are several reasons why in-game cosmetic items are valuable. One of them is rare. Cosmetic items are really rare: they can only be obtained from cases and upon successful receipt of prizes, while their number is limited (artificially). Not every player has access to skins, so owning them is desirable.
The rarer a cosmetic item is, the higher its price. For example, a skin for an AK-47 rifle in the Factory New exterior can be one of the most valuable weapon skins in the game.
In addition to this, the value of skins can also be affected by the age of their release. The skin trading market behaves like most traditional markets, changing the value of a product over time. The freshest commodities can potentially sell for a higher or lower value than when the price of that commodity reaches equilibrium.
Another reason is the presence of gambling games with skins for CS:GO. Due to the widespread of the gambling market with skins in 2013-2015. The value of skins skyrocketed as people often used them as poker chips rather than as cosmetic items.
For those unfamiliar with the realities of skin gambling, two main concepts should be clear. In one type of such game, skins acted as bets on the outcome of matches, similar to how things work in a bookmaker’s office. In another, skins can be placed in the form of casino bets: on roulette, slots, and other games related to luck. Although the supply of skin gambling is not as great as it once was, the influence of that era on the value of cosmetic items is still very strong.
The Most Expensive CS:GO Skins
Below are the top five most expensive CS:GO skins across different markets. You may find skins with even higher prices, but these five remain the most common and bought. Prices for these skins are as of the time of writing.
M4A4 | Howl
The Howl Covert skin was released as part of The Huntsman Collection, which was added in May 2014. Thanks to its remarkable wolf head design, this weapon skin became one of the most popular almost instantly, although its real fame came a little later and for a completely different reason. In June 2014, it was announced that the author of this skin had violated someone else’s copyright in the design. For this reason, Valve had to change its appearance (to restore the legality of copyright), as well as remove it from cases and remove it from the Steam market, assigning the skin the status of “contraband”. The cost of this skin can exceed $13,000 for a Factory New exterior with a StatTrak counter.
AWP | Dragon Lore
Dragon Lore is one of the most famous AWP skins. This weapon skin was originally introduced to the game as part of The Cobblestone Collection (July 2014). From that moment on, it could be obtained from Cobblestone collection cases dropped at Major tournaments. A red dragon stretched along the entire length of the golden rifle. This incredible skin is in the inventory of one of the best players. We are talking about Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev from Ukraine, who plays for the Natus Vincere team. Its cost can exceed $415,000 for a Souvenir version of the skin in Factory New condition.
AK-47 | Case Hardened
This skin was released as part of the first skin collection in the 2013 Arms Deal update. The cosmetic item has been upgraded to a Classified rarity. There are several versions of this weapon in the game, and the characteristics of the blue coating of the skin change depending on the float value assigned to the coloring, which also affects the quality of the design. For this reason, the value of the skin in different variations may differ. The cost of this skin can exceed $600 for a Factory New exterior with a frag counter.
Bayonet | Crimson Web
This skin has become a classic for Bayonet. The item appeared in the game after the 2013 Arms Deal update. The knife is made in red color, the blade is patterned in the form of a black cobweb. Similar to the AK-47 Case Hardened, the web pattern can change depending on the float value assigned to the knife. Its cost can exceed 2,000 for a Factory New exterior.
Sport Gloves | Pandora’s Box
The Gloves were introduced in November 2016. The purple/blue colorway of the Gloves quickly became a style icon for players, causing the price of this skin to skyrocket. At the highest quality level, Pandora’s Box gloves have a vibrant purple hue, but the more worn they are, the more muted the colors become. Their value may exceed $58,000 in a Factory New condition. This skin is used by the following famous pro players:
- device
- KRIMZ
- seized
Final Thoughts
Skins serve as cosmetic in-game items that change the appearance of weapons. They do not change the characteristics of the weapon in any way. However, with the help of skins, players get the opportunity to express themselves through their weapons. You can learn more about the events in the world of CS:GO, as well as the habits of the players using the Profilerr website. With the help of this service, accessible from any country in the world, players can use such useful services as Steam ID finder, CS:GO crosshair generator, etc.