We all know knives are expensive in CS2, but do you know just how expensive? Unless your answer was “1.5 million U.S. dollars,” then you’re underestimating their value—or at least the value of one particularly pricey skin. Whether you’re a collector looking for the next crown jewel of your inventory or simply curious about how much dough people drop on pixels, it’s worth getting to know these gems. Here are the 10 most expensive CS2 knife skins!

1. Karambit | Case Hardened (Blue Gem Pattern #387)

Price: $1,500,000+

The most expensive CS2 knife is the Karambit | Case Hardened, with the #387 Blue Gem Pattern. It’s the most expensive cosmetic item in CS2… and in the known universe, really. As a unique skin—there’s literally only one of these in existence—it doesn’t exactly have a price; it’s more a case of how much people are willing to pay for it. And they’re willing to pay a lot: this one-of-a-kind knife is in the hands of a collector who recently rejected a $1.5m offer from a would-be buyer. 

You can find out a lot more about this knife in our dedicated guide to Blue Gem Karambits, so we’ll stick to the basics here. Case Hardened skins feature a randomized pattern with varying amounts of yellow and blue. Some of these patterns are particularly valuable, especially those with a lot of blue—they’re known as Blue Gems, and this $1.5m Karambit is one such skin. It features the single best Blue Gem pattern—the bluest Blue Gem for the already very expensive Karambit knife. 

With the right pattern, just about any Case Hardened skin can reach a crazy price. A couple of years ago, an AK-47 | Case Hardened pattern #661 made the news when it sold for $400k, although to be fair, much of that amount was actually the value of the four Titan Holo stickers.

Anyway, the Karambit | Case Hardened Blue Gem Pattern #387 is the most expensive CS2 knife by far. Other Karambit Blue Gem skins are also super-expensive, although not quite at this level of insanity—the bluest patterns often achieve prices exceeding $25,000. 

Open cases with Karambit | Case Hardened

2. Karambit | Gamma Doppler (Emerald)

Prices: $10,000–$25,000+

Emeralds will be expensive for any knife type, but a Karambit will set you back the most. Emerald Karambits with very low float (beginning with 0.00) often cost $25k and more. (Here’s a guide to float in CS2 if you’re not sure what that’s all about.)

A bit of background: just like Case Hardened skins, Gamma Dopplers have hundreds of possible patterns. They feature a blend of black, green, and light blue in varying proportions. Multicolored patterns are already expensive, but the extra-rare all-green Emerald patterns reach the highest prices. 

To find out more, check out our guide to Gamma Doppler skins in CS2!

Open cases with Karambit | Gamma Doppler

3. M9 Bayonet | Doppler (Ruby, Sapphire, Black Pearl)

Prices: $9,000–$25,000+

Almost all Doppler skins cost at least a few hundred dollars, but none are more expensive than the Ruby, Sapphire, and Black Pearl M9 Bayonets. Prices start at around $9k and regularly exceed $25k for skins with the lowest float. 

In general, Doppler skins can feature red, blue, black, and a little green, depending on the pattern. If they have several colors, they’re Restricted rarity—these Dopplers can cost between $150 and $6000, depending on the knife type, Phase (mix of colors), and float. 

However, there are also single-color patterns, just like with the Gamma Doppler skins. For Dopplers, these are the red Ruby and blue Sapphire, which are Classified rarity, and the rarest, Covert Black Pearl. This is where prices go sky-high, especially for popular knife types like the M9 Bayonet. 

Counter-Strike wouldn’t be Counter-Strike if things didn’t get out of hand, so among the super-rare Black Pearls, there are also super-super rare Glacial patterns. They feature a hint of arctic blue, and you can find them listed online with prices exceeding $60k. 

For more information, visit our CS2 Doppler Phases and skins guide and read more about Black Pearls in CS2 here.

Open cases with M9 Bayonet | Doppler

4. Butterfly Knife | Gamma Doppler (Emerald)

Prices: $10,000–$21,000+

Another Emerald skin, this time for the Butterfly Knife. Prices for the Gamma Doppler skins for this knife type start at around $2000, but the all-green Emerald will set you back at least $10k.

Open cases with Butterfly Knife | Gamma Doppler

5. Butterfly Knife | Doppler (Ruby, Sapphire, Black Pearl)

Prices: $9,000–$20,000+

The single-color Butterfly Knife | Doppler patterns are usually slightly cheaper than the Karambits… but not “cheap” by any means. $20k is not too out of the ordinary for low floats. This skin looks awesome on the Butterfly knife, with the colored inlays in the handles. Awesome enough to be worth as much as a five-year-old mid-range sedan? You be the judge. 

Open cases with Butterfly Knife | Doppler

6. Karambit | Doppler (Ruby, Sapphire, Black Pearl)

Prices: $8,000–$20,000+

Karambits rule any list of expensive skins, so it’s no surprise that we have another one: once again, with the rare Doppler patterns. The Doppler finish looks perfect with the black handle of the Karambit, and the pattern on the finger ring balances out the design nicely. Apparently, nicely enough to regularly net $20k a pop. 

Open cases with Karambit | Doppler

7. M9 Bayonet | Gamma Doppler (Emerald)

Prices: $10,000–$15,000+

The final Emerald on our list and another M9 Bayonet. The large blade is perfect for showcasing the brilliance of the Emerald pattern, and the green finish covers the guard of the knife’s handle as well. Expect prices between $10k and $15k. 

Open cases with M9 Bayonet | Gamma Doppler

8. Butterfly Knife | Fade

Prices: $3,000–$15,000+

The multicolored Fade is notorious for reaching impressive prices, and its most expensive rendition tends to be the Butterfly Knife (along with the Karambit, which is coming up next). 

Fade skins feature a gradient that blends blue, pink, yellow in varying proportions, depending on the skin’s pattern. Collectors use “Fade percentage” to express how much of the pattern is visible. At the low end, the blade features 80% of the gradient, with the rest colored a bare-metal gray. “Full Fades” with 100% gradient coverage are the most expensive. The knife pictured above is one such Full Fade. 

This is why there’s such a huge price range for this skin. Fade percentage brings another factor into play, causing some skins to be much, much more valuable than others, all the way up to $15k and beyond. Honestly, though, with a $3k starting price, I wouldn’t say “no” to any Butterfly Knife | Fade!

Open cases with Butterfly Knife | Fade

9. Karambit | Fade

Prices: $2,500–$15,000+

As promised, here’s the Karambit | Fade. The combination of float and Fade percentage is what typically determines the price for these skins, with high Fade and low float leading the charge with price tags at $15k and above. 

Open cases with Karambit | Fade

10. M9 Bayonet | Case Hardened (Blue Gem)

Prices: $600–$15,000+

We opened with a Case Hardened skin, and we’re closing with one. As is to be expected, Blue Gems and other rare patterns are the most expensive, often costing over $15k. 

Unlike Dopplers and Gamma Dopplers, Case Hardened skins are available in the full range of float values, so in all wear conditions. This goes some way to explain the larger price range for these skins—Battle-Scarred skins will cost a lot less than lower-float equivalents. For the Dopplers, the float range is only 0.00–0.08, so they’re always either in Factory New or Minimal Wear conditions.

Open cases with M9 Bayonet | Case Hardened

About the Most Expensive CS2 Knife Skins

As you can see, the top 10 most expensive CS2 knife skins owe their prices to having exceedingly rare patterns. Really, every Doppler, Gamma Doppler, or Case Hardened knife has the potential to reach incredibly high prices, provided that it has a pattern or color that makes it a collectible. 

When it comes to these and other knife skins, it’s often the case that the knife type has more influence on the price than the skin itself. For example, the Tiger Tooth skin can cost around $1,500, while Gut Knife | Tiger Tooth is only $150, so literally ten times cheaper. 

The same is true for these rare patterns that make the knives on this list expensive. A Karambit Blue Gem will be several times more expensive than a Navaja Knife with an equally rare pattern. 

So, broadly speaking, the most expensive knife types in CS2 are the Karambit, M9 Bayonet, Butterfly Knife, and Talon Knife. They’ll dominate any list of the priciest knives. 

The Gut Knife, Shadow Daggers, and Navaja Knife tend to be the cheapest in any finish and pattern. 

What’s your favorite expensive CS2 knife skin? Maybe you like the look of cheaper skins more than those elite patterns? Let us know on our socials, and have fun opening cases on Key-Drop—who knows, you could win a super-rare Karambit today!