Most CS2 players are already familiar with the concept of CS2 (CS:GO) rarity, but even experienced players may not know some nuances. Today, we will talk about the concept of rarity in CS2, share a lot of useful information, and perhaps discover something new and very interesting for you that you didn’t even suspect before!
What Is CS2 Skin Rarity?
CS2 (CS:GO) skin rarity refers to the classification system that determines the value and exclusivity of skins within the game. Each skin is assigned a rarity level, visually represented by a unique color. This system ranges from common white skins to extremely rare golden skins, which typically include high-value items like knives or gloves. The rarity not only indicates how challenging it is to obtain the skin from a case but also adds excitement to the case-opening experience. Understanding skin rarity helps players gauge the worth and desirability of their collection.
The CS2 (CS:GO) Skin Rarity Tiers
Let’s talk in more detail about what CS2 skin quality tiers exist! In total, there are eight CS2 (CS:GO) skin rarity tiers:
- Consumer Grade
- Industrial Grade
- Mil-Spec
- Restricted
- Classified
- Covert
- Extraordinary
- Contraband
However, only seven of them are available for weapon skins, as Extraordinary is used exclusively for gloves. Let’s take a closer look at each of the CS2 skin quality tiers below.
Consumer Grade (White)
The first skin rarity level is Consumer Grade. These skins are highlighted in white, which is why they are often referred to as “white skins” – although this term has nothing to do with their design. Such skins are easy to obtain as a reward for playing matches or performing additional actions in the game.
These are usually the first skins that new players receive, and they have little to no market value because almost every player owns them. In terms of design, these skins are not unique, as most of them share a simple camouflage pattern, making them look quite similar.
Industrial Grade (Light Blue)
The next CS2 (CS:GO) rarity after Consumer Grade is Industrial Grade, and it’s already a slightly different color, to be more specific. The color of this CS2 (CS:GO) skin quality is Light Blue. Such skins are also not very expensive or very popular, but they are already better than nothing. For example, some interesting drawings of this CS2 (CS:GO) skin quality already appear on Desert Eagle | Tilted.
Although most skins of this CS2 (CS:GO) rarity are very cheap, there are also some expensive variations such as Five-SeveN | Candy Apple, XM1014 | Fallout Warning, AK-47 | Jungle Spray. So, starting with this CS:GO skin rarity, you should be careful because you can accidentally sell something expensive for a penny.
Mil-Spec (Blue)
The most common and popular CS2 (CS:GO) skin rank is Mil-Spec (Blue). It is the most common and popular because cases contain skins starting with this CS2 (CS:GO) rarity, and they have the highest chance of dropping. So, if you wanted to open a case, then with a 79.92% chance, you will get a skin with Mil-Spec rarity.
Such skins are not expensive because there are a lot of them on the market. However, if we talk about old skins from the Weapon Case, then the price for skins of this rarity may be higher. And all because the case itself is quite expensive (about $100). Mil-Spec skins already contain interesting designs and ideas, such as R8 Revolver | Tango, MAC-10 | Fade skins.
Restricted (Purple)
Restricted CS2 skin quality is purple by color and is considered very good and popular. It is widely distributed and in high demand among players. Restricted skins usually have a good design, look amazing, and can have a color shift, but getting such skins is not as easy as Mil-Spec skins. The chance of getting such skin is 15.98%. It’s quite a bit. Desert Eagle | Blaze, M4A4 | Daybreak, M4A1-S | Icarus Fell are the most famous Restricted skins.
Classified (Pink)
This is CS2 (CS:GO) skin rarity where skins start to become more expensive. Currently, there are 162 skins in the game with the Classified rarity. Most skins of this rarity cost from $10 and up. Skins of this quality are characterized by having a beautiful design and some interesting drawings, for example, Zeus x27 | Olympus.
Or a large and detailed drawing of a monster and a big mouth like USP-S | Jawbreaker. Some of the most expensive skins of this quality are M4A4 | Poseidon and M4A1-S | Hot Rod. The price for each of them starts from $1500.
Covert (Red)
Finally, we’ve reached the pinnacle of CS2 skins: Covert quality. A bright red color highlights this quality and immediately lets you know that you’ve gotten something good because the chance of getting a skin of such quality is only 0.64%. To help you understand better, that’s only 1 in 156 cases.
Extraordinary (Gold)
It is a dream of millions, and this is no exaggeration, as every experienced player, and even a newcomer, dreams of seeing the golden color from the case. After all, they’re the most desired skins in the game! The golden color means that you will get a skin of the Extraordinary rarity!
But there is an important nuance when you get this exceedingly rare skin. It will always be either gloves or a knife. The chance of getting Extraordinary skin from a case is only 0.26% – it’s a very slim chance. It’s about once in 385 openings.
Contraband (Orange)
There is only one thing that can be said about Contraband skin – it is truly one of a kind! That’s because there is only one skin in the game of such quality, and it’s M4A4 | Howl. M4A4 | Howl was added on May 1, 2014, in the update “The Hunt Begins.” Currently, the price of this skin is changing very much because the quantity is very low, and the demand is incredibly high. There were cases when this skin was bought for $100,000.
What Determines a CS2 Skin’s Rarity/Quality?
Rarity and quality are completely different concepts that account for different indicators. Rarity shows how difficult it is to get skin from a case or some event that Valve conducts.
Quality is an indicator of how damaged a skin is. After all, the skin itself can either be brand new (Factory New) or heavily damaged (Battle-Scarred). For your convenience and clarity, we’ve added a complete list of skin qualities (skin wear levels).
- Factory New (FN): 0.00 – 0.07
- Minimal Wear (MW): 0.07 – 0.15
- Field-Tested (FT): 0.15 – 0.37
- Well-Worn (WW): 0.37 – 0.44
- Battle-Scarred (BS): 0.44 – 1.00
We’ll briefly explain if you’re curious about what these numbers (0.00 – 0.07) mean. (0.00 – 0.07) is a numerical indicator of how damaged a skin is (or, in other words, float value). For example, all Factory New (FN) quality skins have damage from 0 to 7%, meaning any skin will look almost perfect as a maximum of 7% can damage it. The higher the wear level of the skin, the lower the price, of course. Therefore, it has a very strong impact on prices.
The price can also be affected by StatTrak™. StatTrak™ is a counter on the gun that shows how many kills you’ve made with it.
How CS2 (CS:GO) Skin Rarity Works
Valve created the first cases back in 2014, and that’s when the concept of CS2 (CS:GO) skin rarity appeared. The principle of the case was very simple. You have several skins inside the case, and there is a chance of getting one skin or another. The lower the chance, the higher the rarity.
CS2 (CS:GO) Rarity Charts of Other Items
Besides weapon skins, other items in CS2 also have rarity levels. For example, your agent skin, stickers, and even new Charms have their own rarity. However, the rarity levels are not significantly different from those we have already discussed and simply follow the same principles.
CS2 (CS:GO) Agents Rarity
There are only four CS2 (CS:GO) agent’s rarity levels, and each level, just like with weapons, affects the agent’s price.
Agents are available in the following rarities:
- Distinguished Agents (Blue)
- Exceptional Agents (Purple)
- Superior Agents (Pink)
- Master Agents (Red)
However, agents cannot be obtained from cases. A different system is used to acquire them. The first available way to get an agent is during in-game operations. During operations, players can use a special event store where they can purchase an agent. However, such operations are conducted infrequently. The last operation was “Riptide”, which ran from September 2021 to February 2022.
The second way to obtain an agent is to purchase it on the Steam marketplace or specialized CS2 trading platforms.
CS2 (CS:GO) Stickers Rarity
As we mentioned earlier, stickers also have their own rarity levels. They are called a bit differently, but the principle is the same: the lower the chance of dropping, the higher the rarity. The simplest stickers are considered High Grade (Blue). And the rarest is Contraband (Orange).
For convenience, here is a small list:
- High Grade (Blue).
- Remarkable (Purple).
- Exotic (Pink).
- Extraordinary (Red).
- Contraband (Orange).
Just like with skins, each sticker rarity has its own price. The higher the rarer, the more Sticker | Howling Dawn is especially expensive, as it is the only one with the Contraband rarity. In principle, like the skin, M4A4 | Howl, which we wrote about above.
Which Are the Most Rare CS2 Skins?
What are the rarest skins in the game? This is an interesting question, but we don’t think there are a few of these skins. In fact, there are a lot of very rare skins in CS2. Some are just very rarely obtained from cases, some can no longer be obtained in any way, and some are simply popular, which is why the demand for them is crazy.
Yet, all these skins share one common trait: they are very expensive. We have compiled a small list of skins that are really very rare. There are knives, gloves, AWP, and various other skins here.
- (Souvenir) AK-47 | Gold Arabesque
- AWP | Gungnir
- M4A4 | Howl
- AK-47 | Wild Lotus
- (Souvenir) AWP | Dragon Lore
- Sport Gloves | Pandora’s Box
- Glock-18 | Fade
- AWP | The Prince
- AWP | Medusa
- Desert Eagle | Blaze
- Sport Gloves | Hedge Maze
- M9 Bayonet | Doppler Ruby
This list is by no means exhaustive, as enumerating all the rare skins would be a lengthy endeavor. However, these are the most recognizable and rarest skins currently in the game.
Conclusion
The rarity of CS2 skins significantly determines how popular a skin is and how much it costs. Many players always try to get the rarest CS2 skins, but do not forget to pay attention to less popular skins, as many among them are worth your attention!
How to Tell if a CS2 (CS:GO) Skin is Rare?
If you have received a skin, its rarity can be determined by two indicators: the color the skin is highlighted with and the inscription indicating its rarity.
How to Get Rare CS2 (CS:GO) Skins?
You can obtain rare skins from cases, weekly rewards, or buying them on the Steam marketplace.
How does StatTrak™ Affect Skin Rarity?
StatTrak™ does not affect skin rarity in any way.
What’s the Rarity of a Knife in (CS:GO) CS2?
All knives in the game have a Covert rarity level. The chance of getting a knife is 0.26%, which is roughly once in every 385 case openings.
What is the Difference Between Wear Levels and Rarity?
Wear level indicates how damaged or worn a skin appears, while rarity reflects how difficult it is to obtain the skin from a case or special event.