CS2 is one of the most popular online competitive games, with millions of players worldwide. At the moment, Counter Strike 2 is one of the most popular games on Steam, and one of the most popular online shooters in general. CS 2 has some of the largest eSports events in history and the game still continues to grow.
Although the gameplay is undoubtedly an important feature of CS2, skin trading plays a significant role in the game’s success. Some of the rarest CS2(CS:GO) skins can be worth thousands of dollars. Because of this, there is some serious money to be made by using Counter Strike trading sites.
Each weapon skin has features, such as float value or quality that further dictate the skin’s price. If you plan to buy or sell CS:GO (CS2) skins, you must absolutely learn more about this feature. In this guide, you will learn all there is to know about CS2 weapon skins rarity grades.
What Is CS2 Skin Rarity?
CS2 skin rarity refers to the classification of skins in Counter-Strike 2 (CS:GO) based on their scarcity and desirability. This system is crucial for determining the value and demand of skins within the game.
Understanding skin rarity is essential for players who are interested in buying, selling, or trading skins, as it directly impacts their market value. Players who understand skin rarity, can make more informed decisions and potentially secure better deals in the CS2 skin market.
Overview of the Rarity System
The CS2 skin rarity system is composed of eight distinct tiers, each represented by a unique color. These tiers are: Consumer Grade (White), Industrial Grade (Light Blue), Mil-Spec (Blue), Restricted (Purple), Classified (Pink), Covert (Red), Contraband (Orange), and Extraordinary (Gold). Each tier has its own set of characteristics, such as design complexity, pattern, and color scheme, which contribute to its rarity and value. This structured system helps players quickly identify the rarity and potential value of a skin, making it easier to navigate the CS2 skin market.
Every weapon skin in CSGO comes with a set of different stats. These include the float value, skin quality, and skin rarity. CSGO skins rarity grades give you a rough idea of how rare the skin is, since all CS2 weapon cases share the same drop rates. There are some differences in rarity grades, however, more than just visual. Here are all the CSGO skins rarity grades:
Consumer Grade (White)
Consumer grade weapon skins are the most common skins you can get in CSGO, and this category contains some of the more common and less impressive weapon skins in CSGO. Aside from a couple of specific skins, most consumer grade skins are worth only a couple of cents at best. Consumer grade skins don’t drop from any weapon case, and most players get them after leveling or as free CS:GO (CS2) skins drop after a match.
Industrial Grade (Light Blue)
Industrial grade skins are another type of common skins, although these are generally more expensive. Still, these are some of the cheapest CS2 skins in the game, and cost mostly less than $3. Like Consumer Grade weapon skins, Industrial Grade skins are a random drop after a match or leveling up. They are slightly cooler looking than Consumer Grade skins, but they are still mostly used as a CS2 trade-up material.
Mil-Spec (Blue)
Mil-Spec (Short for military specifications) skins are the lowest rarity of skins that you can obtain when opening weapon cases. Mil-spec skins can also be obtained as a random drop after a match, although this happens extremely rarely. Mil-spec skins are generally not too flashy and are still made up of very basic designs, although introduce slightly more changes to the guns. You can generally get a couple of bucks for most Mil-spec weapon skins although certain skins from this rarity cost around $100.
Restricted (Purple)
Desirable Restricted skins are already in the rarer levels, and are the first CS 2 skin rarity grade, where guns start looking really impressive. This is also the largest category of skins in the game, with the most skins available on the Steam community market being Restricted. Most weapon cases offer a couple Restricted skins, so the CS2 case odds of opening one in your weapon case are quite high. The prices of Restricted skins vary greatly and are dependent on the particular skin. Some Restricted skins are available for couple of dollars, but other skins in this rarity grade are worth hundreds of dollars.
Classified (Pink)
Classified skins are where rarest skins really start appearing. Most weapon cases offer single classified skin or two. Such skins are generally expensive (although there are exceptions, costing only a couple of dollars), especially in minimal wear or factory new finish styles. Classified skins include some exceedingly rare items such as Negev Mjölnir or MP9 Wild Lilly. Classified CS2 skins cost often over a thousand dollars, meaning that if you want to sell CS2 skins, opening a classified skin in your weapon case is what you want to see.
Covert (Red)
Most new weapon cases have a chance to drop an extremely rare signature skin, which has a low chance of dropping but will make everyone who opens it rich. Some of the most expensive CS2 skins have the Covert grade, such as the AWP Desert Hydra or AK-47 Gold Arabesque. This rarity grade also includes all the CS2 knife skins available in the game. It’s difficult to open a Covert grade weapon skin from your case, so most Covert skins are obtained through CS2 skins trading. These high-quality skins have very varied prices, but still many of them are worth well over $1000.
Extraordinary (Gold)
The Extraordinary category is pretty straightforward and highly desirable. All CS2 gloves are in this category and drop as extremely rare items when you open any weapon case. Obtaining CS2 skins that are in the Extraordinary rarity grade without trading isn’t impossible, but you have a very low chance of opening gloves skins in your weapon cases.
There’s also one, final category, although it’s a bit strange, since it contains only one skin:
Contraband (Orange)
Contraband items are simply weapon skins, which were at some point removed from the game, but are still available in their owner’s inventory. There is only one item like this in CS2, the extremely rare M4A4 Howl, no longer obtainable through any standard means. Contraband items are the rarest grade you can get in the game at the moment, and are only obtainable via CS2 trading, and available in limited numbers.
Factors Affecting Skin Value
Several factors influence the value of CS2 skins, with rarity and demand being the most significant. Skins with higher rarity tiers, such as Covert and Contraband, are generally more valuable due to their scarcity. Additionally, skins with unique designs, patterns, and color schemes are more desirable and valuable. The demand for skins also plays a crucial role in determining their value, with popular skins being more valuable than less popular ones..
In the CS2 skin market, the rarity and demand of skins are closely linked. Skins with higher rarity tiers tend to have higher demand, which drives up their value. Conversely, skins with lower rarity tiers may have lower demand, resulting in lower values. Understanding the relationship between rarity and demand is essential for players who want to buy, sell, or trade skins in the CS2 market. By recognizing the factors that influence skin value, players can make more informed decisions and potentially secure better deals.
In Conclusion
Understanding skin rarity in CS2 skins and their rarity grades can be a bit confusing to any player. Still, it’s important to understand them, if you plan to buy cheap CS2 skins or sell any of your items. Knowing how the rarity grades work can help you secure the best deal. And if you want to purchase skins of any rarity, remember that you will always get the best deal at Skinsmonkey.com, the best CS2 trading site available!
A true gaming enthusiast, especially Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rust. At SkinsMonkey, he is involved in creating game guides based on his own experience.
