We all know Counter-Strike skins can reach quite ridiculous numbers for a bunch of pixels, but the amount of money involved in the skins industry makes the CS skins market nothing to scoff at.
Though most have heard that Counter-Strike knives can reach hundreds to thousands of dollars, they might not have been informed that they have reached the seven-digit mark. In this article, we’ll answer the question “what is the most expensive CS:GO knife?” and show you more.
Karambit | Case Hardened (Pattern 387 Blue Gem) #1 Blue Gem – $1,500,000+
The most expensive skin in the entire Counter-Strike industry is the number one Karambit | Case Hardened with the 387 seed. The specific seed is the best Blue Gem pattern on a Karambit, making it the rarest skin in the game.
A Chinese collector owns this specific skin. He was offered $1,500,000 in cash, and decided to turn down the offer, saying it was too low. If a million and a half is still “too low”, can you imagine how much the seller would ask for instead?
If the trade had gone through, this would have been the most expensive CS:GO knife ever sold, but we will likely see this day come in the future.
Skeleton Knife | Case Hardened (Pattern 403 Blue Gem) – $150,000+
The next Blue Gem on the list is the Skeleton Knife, one of the most popular knife types in the game due to its unique design. The second highest-value knife is the 403 seed of the Skeleton Knife | Case Hardened, which has a 1 in 10 million chance of unboxing.
For this particular skin, the play side of the Skeleton Knife is a hundred percent blue, which skyrockets its value by 1,000%. There are at least three copies in existence. The owner of the second-lowest float turned down $150,000, so the lowest float version could realistically fetch over $200,000.
Talon Knife | Case Hardened (Pattern 241 Blue Gem) – $77,000
You’ll notice the common trend that Case Hardened Blue Gem knives will dominate the top of the list. In third place, we have the “budget Karambit”, the Talon Knife’s version of the 241 seed.
The Karambit is one of the most sought-after knives in the game, so if you can’t have the best Karambit, you’ll settle for the best Talon Knife next. The 241 pattern gives the play side of the Talon Knife a complete ocean blue look.
Nomad Knife | Case Hardened (Pattern 771 Blue Gem) – $50,000+
The Nomad Knife was considered one of the lowest-tier knives, but its price increased after the greatest CS:GO player of all time, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev, began using it. The Ukrainian superstar was rocking a Blue Gem version of the Nomad Knife | Case Hardened, the 771 seed.
Another person unboxed the exact same pattern but didn’t know anything about Blue Gems and ended up selling it for market price, $320. That skin retails for over $50,000, making it one of the most expensive CSGO knives ever. We pray that the seller lives their entire life, never finding out about this mistake.
Stiletto Knife | Case Hardened (Pattern 182 Blue Gem) $39,500
Yet another Blue Gem is dominating the top spot of the list, but this time, it’s the Stiletto. The 182 seed of the Stiletto Knife | Case Hardened gives its play side a 100% Blue Gem look. Despite having one of the thinnest blades, the Stiletto Knife still looks absolutely gorgeous.
Additionally, the back side of the knife is almost wholly blue, too, making it the number one pattern for the Stiletto Case Hardened knife. The only golden part of the skin is the tip of the back side, but the 182 pattern is undoubtedly the best you can get.
StatTrak Karambit | Crimson Web – $21,800
Finally, we have a non-Blue Gem knife – a breath of fresh air. Before the Blue Gem knives started getting out of hand, the Crimson Web was one of the most prestigious skins in the game, and it still is. The StatTrak Karambit | Crimson Web, with a low float value, has received offers for over $20,000.
The current owner, well-known skin trader Syncho, has listed his version of the skin for $21,800. StatTrak versions of knives typically reduce the value, but some would argue that scratches on the Crimson Web enhance its looks.
M9 Bayonet | Case Hardened (Pattern 417) – $20,000
We know you’re tired of seeing Blue Gems, but we promise this is the last one here. The M9 Bayonet is a classic CSGO knife that remains popular despite the release of new models. The M9 has a larger blade and surface area than other knives, so it’s pretty much impossible to get a 100% Blue Gem on one side.
One of the best M9 Bayonet | Case Hardened patterns, the 417 seed, has been listed on CSGOFloat for $20,000. Since all M9 Case Hardeneds will inevitably feature a lot of yellow, the value of Blue Gems aren’t as high as the rest.
Butterfly Knife | Doppler (Sapphire) – $18,000
The Butterfly Knife used to be the most-loved CS:GO knife until the Karambit and the others received Doppler versions of the skin, while the Butterfly Knife was left out. Two years later, in 2017, CS fans were finally treated with Doppler versions of their favourite knife in the game.
Of “the big three,” the Sapphire iteration of the Butterfly Knife | Doppler is the most popular one. The Sapphire used to cost players more than $20,000, but its price has been reduced by around 10%. Still, you’ll have to break the bank to afford a skin like this.
Butterfly Knife | Gamma Doppler (Emerald) – $16,300
The third most expensive non-Blue Gem knife skin is the Butterfly Knife Emerald, which was only released in 2021, four years after the Sapphire and Ruby. Since it wasn’t released too long ago, the Butterfly Knife | Gamma Doppler Emerald supply is extremely scarce, which is why it’ll cost over the $16,000 mark.
Though it costs less than the Sapphire by a decent margin, this does not make the Emerald inferior. It’s a matter of personal preference between the three main colors: red, green, and blue.
Butterfly Knife | Doppler (Ruby) – $14,900
In late 2022 to early 2023, the Ruby version of the Butterfly Knife | Doppler was priced around the $10,000 mark. However, when Counter-Strike: 2 was announced with visual updates, the prices of the Butterfly Knife Ruby almost doubled, reaching over $18,000.
The Ruby is one of the biggest winners in CS2’s newest engine, and over time, the price has settled down to just a little under $15,000, the lowest of the three, but still faced a 50% increase.
Karambit | Doppler (Sapphire) – $14,000
The Karambit’s design works perfectly well with a polished Sapphire color-scheme. The Karambit | Doppler Sapphire used to be the most expensive non-Blue Gem Knife before the Butterfly Knife | Doppler was released.
This particular knife skin screams premium; it’s incredibly beautiful. Though the reign of the Karambit Sapphire as the best knife in the game has ended, it’s still a very solid choice for players with high budgets.
M9 Bayonet | Gamma Doppler (Emerald) – $13,500
Among the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald choices, Emerald is easily the most favored choice for the M9 Bayonet. The greatest part about the M9 Bayonet in relation to the Doppler and Gamma Doppler skins is the bigger size and length of the blade, allowing more of the skin to show.
The light green color the Emerald provides is arguably the most eye-catching one of the three, making it the most expensive M9 Bayonet skin on the market.
M9 Bayonet | Doppler (Sapphire) – $13,400
Tailing right behind the Emerald is the M9 Bayonet Sapphire. This version of the M9 Bayonet boasts high-end dark blue hues that skyrocket its price to over $13,000. The scarcity of the skin makes the pride justifiable.
In 2023, popular streamer Dr. Disrespect was unboxing cases during his live stream and managed to open one of these beauties. After the announcement of the new Counter-Strike game, the price of the M9 Sapphire rose to $24,000!
Karambit | Gamma Doppler (Emerald) – $12,300
Could you believe that, in the first year the Karambit Emerald was released in the game, you could grab one for “only” $3,000? The market for Counter-Strike skins continued to increase from 2020, and interest in these virtual pixels has pushed the Karambit Emerald to over $10,000.
The Emerald provides an aesthetic appeal with an appealing green color, which is usually not the color you’d think about when looking for something premier. The lighting in Counter-Strike: 2 also heavily benefits this particular skin.
Karambit | Doppler (Ruby) – $11,800
To close off the list, we have the Karambit | Doppler in its ruby version, which beams with radiant crimson colors based on the finest rubies. Despite being one of the best red-colored skins in the game, the Ruby still loses to the Crimson Web, but that obviously doesn’t make it a bad knife.
Though it is the cheapest knife on the list, getting your hands on one will still cost you a fortune. The curved design of the Karambit blade gives the Ruby skin more time to shine, especially under good lighting.
That concludes it for the fifteen most expensive knives in Counter-Strike. Though these prices may look insane to you already, dozens of knives still sit above the $10,000 not mentioned on the list. There are also weapon skins like AK-47 | Case Hardened Blue Gems and AWP | Dragon Lores that are easily priced at more than $100,000!