Knives are undoubtedly the most high-ticket items in CSGO. Initially introduced in August 2013 with the Arms Deal Update, which introduced skins as a whole, knives have become the hallmark of serious CSGO players and collectors alike. However, not all knives are created equal. Some patterns or knife designs see less demand and thus low prices. Skin wear also plays an important role here, with Factory New knives topping this list; you can find more about skin wear here.
Unlike Covert skins, knives can only be acquired (in-game) through opening cases; thus, rare versions of these knives are much more expensive than Covert skins that can be crafted using Trade-Up contracts. As such, knives have for years been an excellent opportunity for investors and players to make money through CSGO.
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For our list, we will not be including multiple different conditions for each skin – except in one case-, as Stat-Trak Crimson Web knives would most definitely fill this list. We will also only be including either a Stat-Trak or non-ST variant of each skin.
Please note that knives where StatTrak™ version prices are not available were excluded. This includes items like the StatTrak™ M9 Bayonet Night Factory New, which, although expensive, has not circulated for a while, and thus, its price is not easy to estimate. This article follows a previous one on the Top 10 Most Expensive CSGO Weapon Skins.
Knives are almost completely supply-driven, meaning that the rarer the item (statistically), the higher the price. It is also important to note that there is also a demand drive that makes certain knife types and skins especially desirable. For example, Case Hardened, Crimson Web, Lore and Fade knives are more expensive than Night, Boreal Forest, Rust and, Damascus Steel variants. Similarly, knives like the Gut Knife or Shadow Daggers are overall much cheaper than the Karambit or M9 Bayonet.
Finally, the most important determining factor for price is the pattern. Some CSGO skins feature unique patterns that make the design of the items different. For example, a Karambit Fade can have different fade values (up to 100%), or an M9 Case Hardened can have different amounts of blue on it; these features increase or decrease the price accordingly. This is the case since these items cost so much that only collectors acquire them and thus, uniqueness and rarity is especially important.
The highly distinctive Skeleton Knife became extremely popular after its release making it one of the few new knives to be generally liked by the community. The knife features a one-piece steel build that works seamlessly well with the iconic Fade pattern. As such, great 100% Fade examples of the Skeleton Knife Fade in Factory New condition can cost up to $2,000.
The Karambit has always been a fan favorite and is almost synonymous with the phrase ‘CSGO knife’ and thus, it is no surprise that it makes an appearance on the list. The Fade pattern on the Karambit is also one of the most well-known versions of the knife. However, it exists in large numbers and thus, a good Factory New StatTrak™ Karambit Fade costs ‘only’ around $3,000.
The hefty Bayonet is a spectacular knife and looks amazing in all its Doppler versions. However, collectors adore the deep blue hues of its large blade when in the rare Sapphire phase. Accompanied with a low float and the StatTrak™ technology, the StatTrak™ Bayonet Doppler/Sapphire in Factory New runs up to $5,000.
Another Doppler knife makes the list! This time, the gorgeous greens of the later-introduced Gamma Doppler Emerald variant. The Gamma Doppler knife skins became available much later than the normal Doppler versions and mainly introduced the Emerald Phase that features an emerald green blade. The Karambit is the perfect fit for such a blade, and, once paired with StatTrak™ and a low float, it can easily exceed $9,000.
Collectors cannot get enough of rare Emerald green Gamma Doppler knives and thus, the larger blade of the M9 Bayonet makes the 6th place on our list. This M9 variant is a bit rarer than the Karambit making it more expensive. Plus, collectors often seek matching Emerald – Sapphire M9 Bayonets. As such, the StatTrak™ M9 Bayonet Gamma Doppler Emerald in Factory New costs no less than $11,000.
Even though it can be found in Minimal Wear condition, this knife makes it rather high on the list. The Butterfly Knife was released with Operation Breakout and became an instant favorite with its unique and flashy animation. The StatTrak™ Butterfly Knife Doppler in the Sapphire phase costs $13,000 in Minimal Wear condition.
Our first Crimson Web skin appears in the fourth place, and with good reason. The M9 Bayonet Crimson Web knife has for long been a hallmark of wealthy collectors, at least until 2015. In 2015, the StatTrak™ M9 Bayonet Crimson Web (FN) was the main knife involved in the 2015 duping scandal thus creating multiple copies of the skins. This has lowered its price to ‘only’ $15,000.
This Karambit is almost perfection. The ‘387’ pattern ID denotes the best possible Blue-gem pattern available on the Karambit. There is only one of these and it was opened by a Swedish player, who was interviewed by YouTuber Anomaly. Anomaly estimates that this Karambit Case Hardened with pattern ID 387 in Factory New condition can sell for $40,000 - $60,000.
One of the definitive knife skins, the StatTrak™ Karambit Crimson Web was also involved in the 2015 duping scandal, like the M9, but to a lesser extent. Thus, non-duped versions of the skin have retained their value to an amazing extent now costing upwards of $50,000 for good patterns.
Exactly the same as our number 3 except in condition, this Karambit is the perfect CSGO skin for the most exhaustive of collectors. Only one exists and it is currently the most expensive CSGO skin in history. This amazing blue-gem Karambit Case Hardened in Factory New condition fetched an astounding $120,000.
If you haven't had enough yet, watch Anomaly's awesome 2020 video on the most expensive knives and skins below:
