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Float, Wear & Patterns: What Actually Moves a CS2 Skin's Price

pricingguideJuly 15, 20267 min read

Two CS2 skins with the same name can be worth wildly different amounts because of float, wear tier, pattern index and StatTrak. Understanding these attributes is what lets you spot an underpriced listing — and avoid overpaying for a number that doesn't matter.

Why "the same skin" isn't the same

A skin's market_hash_name hides a lot. Float value, wear tier, pattern seed and StatTrak status all move the price — sometimes by multiples. Knowing which attributes actually matter for a given skin is how you buy well and sell well.

Wear tier and float value

Every skin has a float (0 to 1) that determines its wear tier — Factory New, Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, Battle-Scarred. Lower float generally means a cleaner look and a higher price, and the jumps between tiers are usually where the big price steps happen. Some skins also look great at high float (or barely change), so the premium for a low float varies a lot by skin.

Pattern index (the seed)

For certain skins the pattern seed is everything: Case Hardened "blue gems", Fade percentages, Marble Fade fire-and-ice, Doppler phases. Two Field-Tested copies of the same knife can differ by hundreds of dollars purely on pattern. If you trade these, the seed matters more than the float.

StatTrak, Souvenir and stickers

How this helps you trade

Price comparison only works when you compare like with like. SkinRadar keys each item by its real identity — name, wear, StatTrak and Souvenir — so a Factory New isn't compared against a Battle-Scarred, and a sticker-loaded outlier can't masquerade as a bargain (see spotting fake deals). Browse any skin's cross-market prices on the board, or start with a category like Karambit knives where pattern premiums are largest.

Frequently asked questions

What is float value in CS2?

Float is a number from 0 to 1 describing a skin's wear — lower is cleaner. It sets the wear tier (Factory New down to Battle-Scarred), and lower-float skins usually cost more, with the biggest price steps happening between tiers.

Why are two of the same CS2 skin different prices?

Because float value, wear tier, pattern seed, StatTrak/Souvenir status and applied stickers all affect price. Two same-named skins can differ by a lot — so prices should only be compared between truly matching variants.

Does the pattern index matter for skin price?

For some skins it's the single biggest factor — Case Hardened blue gems, high Fade percentages, and Doppler phases can be worth multiples of an ordinary copy. For most skins, though, wear/float matters more than the exact seed.

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