What Is The Rarest Knife In CS2/CSGO?

 The CS community has a love for knives that really can’t be rivalled, with players scouring the CS2 knives list prices to see which are the rarest knives and the most expensive knives in CS2. This is very much evident when you see how much some of them are going for!

However, not all knife skins are worth a fortune—some are a lot more valuable than others. But what drives up the value of knife skins? Well, there are a few factors that come into play—the price of the case and, of course, the rarity. However, there are other considerations as well.

Obviously, the look of the knife matters. How has the blade been designed? That’s why Karambit knives, M9 Bayonet knives and Butterfly knives are so expensive, even if they don’t have a great finish. Meanwhile, knives like Gut knives, Navaja and Shadow Daggers can be bought for much cheaper… even in Factory New condition.

Finally, there are certain special patterns of specific finishes that can raise the value even more.

There are around 19 different types of knives in CS, all coming with their own skins, designs, and patterns. Some will always be expensive no matter what – like the Butterfly and Karambit knives, but there are some cheaper knives that can go for a lot of money if the pattern is ultra rare, for example.

Rare patterns – Blue Gems, will see the value of the knife skin go into the thousands, with some being worth more than $10,000. The most expensive knife in CS2 was valued at approximately $1.5 million!

Knives aren’t introduced that often – in fact, the first new knife to be added in several years is the Kukri knife – available in the Kilowatt Case – another reason they hold their value so well.

Here, we’ll look at the most expensive and rarest knives in CS2…

Before getting into our list, be aware that we have excluded the Outliers from our list – which are so expensive that you won’t find them in any marketplace or third-party skin sites (we’ll take a look at those afterwards).

So, with that being said, here are the top 10 most expensive and rare knife skins in Counter-Strike that you can actually purchase. Let’s take a look.

1: Butterfly Knife: Crimson Web – Factory New

In the game of Counter-Strike, the Butterfly Knife is seen as the best of them all, the jewel in the crown of all knives – a rare knife skin that you’ll definitely want to get your hands on if your finances stretch to it.

If a player is carrying one in the game, there are several assumptions that will be made. Firstly, that they aren’t short of money. You can also assume that they like to invest in the skin market – and that they take the game seriously.

The knife has a design and animation that really is like no other. The blade and the handle swivel around when you go to inspect them – and there are approximately four different animations always at hand when you inspect them – each of them as good as the last.

Then we come on to the coloring – and Reds and Blacks are always CSGO favorites – hence why Crimson Kimono Gloves and knives with a Crimson Web finish are always popular with players competing at the highest levels.

For these reasons, the top spot has to go to the Butterfly Knife Crimson Web which was released back in 2014 with the Operation Breakout Weapon Case. If you get hold of the knife in Factory New condition, with its shiny jet-black handles, red base coat and black spider webs, then you’re in for a treat. What’s more, the number of webs on the knife will determine how valuable it is – the more webs, the more it’s worth!

• These knives typically start at around $5,100.

2: Butterfly Knife: Lore – Factory New

The Butterfly Knife Lore  is absolutely stunning, and as such, it’s a highly sought-after design within the CS2 community—rightly considered the coolest skin in the game. In Factory New condition, its price is slightly lower than that of the top contender, which gives it second place on this list. The blade has a gorgeous light gold hue that is beautifully adorned with an intricate knotted pattern that makes it look a bit like old-style Nordic art. The handle is a metallic army green, perfectly complemented by grips with a more subdued gold marble finish.

• The knives typically start at around $4,349.47

3: M9 Bayonet: Crimson Web – Factory New

Then we have the M9 Bayonet, which is another high-end and popular knife in the game, that has clearly been inspired by its real-life counterpart. This knife has always been hugely popular in the CS community, not only because it looks great but because it is often the star weapon in all those Hollywood films – the weapon of choice for tough Army soldiers.

The M9 Bayonet with the Crimson Web finish has a bright and beautiful red base coat on the blade, which extends onto the metal base of the handle and hilt. The rest of the handle is a glossy jet-black, which creates a perfectly intense contrast. Then, there are intricate black spider web designs that overlay the red base coat, which really gives it its distinctive edge.

In the esports scene, the Crimson Web M9 Bayonet doesn’t work alone… and it is often paired with the Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono, which is considered by many fans of the game to be one of the best knife/glove combinations in the industry.

That’s exactly why a Factory New M9 Bayonet with the Crimson Web finish is up there with the most expensive knives in CS2. What’s more, you can expect to pay through the nose if the blade comes with more than one spider web pattern.

• These knives typically start at around $5,523.48

4: Karambit: Crimson Web – Factory New

Number four on the list is The Karambit, which is another one of the highest-end knives in Counter-Strike 2, rivaling the Butterfly Knife in popularity – and usually comes with a price tag of $4,000 or higher. Since it was released with the Arms Deal update, it has earned itself an incredible reputation and is used by both professional and casual players – especially when adorned with the coolest skins in Counter-Strike. The design has been inspired by its real-life counterpart from the South East Asian martial art Silat – and you can see that with its impressive curved blade held in a reverse grip.

Despite the Crimson Web Karambit being available in 11 different cases since it was launched, there are currently only 38 Factory New Karambits with this finish, which means that this is an incredibly rare find. It is the fact that it is extremely rare that has helped it secure its place among the top ten most expensive knives in the game.

• These knives typically start at around $4,917.00

5: Skeleton Knife: Crimson Web – Factory New

Next up, we have the Factory New Skeleton Knife Crimson Web.

On the release of this stunning knife, it wasn’t a star straight away – and was a more low-key affair. Indeed, it was generally regarded as a mid-tier knife by the CS2 community. However, it was then adopted by the top players in the professional scene – and it was this that led to such a huge shift in its reputation… and it wasn’t long before it was reflected in its price. The knife is one single piece of metal, with the top half forged into a blade and the bottom half that acts as the handle wrapped in tape to give you a better grip.

The Crimson Web finish for the Skeleton Knife was first introduced with the Shattered Web Case back in 2019. The entire metal portion of the knife is covered in a blood-red base—with the famous black spider web designs—while the handle tape is jet black.

At the time of writing, there are only 25 Factory-New Skeleton Knives with the Crimson Web finish, which makes it one of the most expensive knives in CS2. What’s more, the price is likely to rise in the future, so if you’re looking to invest in weapon skins, now is the best time to get one.

• These knives typically start at around $2,899.83

6: M9 Bayonet: Lore – Factory New

The Lore finish for the M9 Bayonet is another massively popular and well-regarded choice within the gaming community. It was first introduced in 2016 – along with the release of the Gamma Case, and it was also later featured in the Gamma 2 Case that was released the same year.

The M9 Bayonet Lore finish has an eye-catching light gold blade – along with an intricate knotted pattern that looks very Nordic. This pattern runs along the lower part of the blade, right from the tip to hilt. The golden color of the blade is lighter at the tip and gradually darkens toward the hilt, in a kind of ombre effect. The hilt and metal base of the handle remain unpainted, while the handle itself is green.

Despite the fact that there are several Factory New M9 Bayonets with the Lore finish available, the number is still very limited compared to the high demand – which has really driven up the price. Expensive or not, it’s still very popular.

• These knives typically start at around $2,638.72

7: Butterfly Knife: Lore – Minimal Wear

If you want beauty – but with a bit of money off, then this is a great option. The Butterfly Knife with the popular Lore finish in Minimal Wear condition has been priced at nearly half that of its Factory New counterpart. If you love the design of this stunner – and the higher cost of the Factory New version is out of the question, then the Minimal Wear option is the perfect alternative, as there’s practically zero noticeable difference in how it looks. For that reason, it’s still very high in value – and if you’re in it for investment purposes as well, its price looks likely to appreciate even more in the coming years.

• These knives typically start at around $1,950.00

8: Butterfly Knife: Fade – Factory New

Fade finishes really are some of the most stunning skins in CS2… and their beauty is reflected in their high price. As such, ranking as number 8 on this list, is the Butterfly Knife with the Fade finish in Factory New condition. Despite there being well over 10,000 of these knives in circulation, its massive popularity, beauty and demand have kept those prices consistently high.

The Butterfly Knife Fade finish was introduced over a decade ago, in 2014, with the Operation Breakout Case, and has not been featured in any other case since then.

• These knives typically start at around $3,205.18

9: Talon Knife: Crimson Web – Factory New

Making it into the latter part of our list is the Talon knife, which is one of the most popular knives in the game and is well-loved in the community. It was initially labelled the poor man’s Karambit, but since then, the Talon has risen massively in both popularity and status… and is now regarded as a high-tier knife.

With only 23 Factory New The Talon Knife Crimson Web finish in circulation, this one takes the number 9 spot on our list.

• These knives generally start at around $2,747.79

10: Butterfly Knife: Fade – Minimal Wear

The price difference between the Butterfly Knife Fade in Factory New and Minimal Wear condition may be minimal, but the Minimal Wear option can sometimes be even more expensive thanks to its limited availability. That being said, you might still find a cheaper option on various marketplaces where this knife is listed.

• These knives generally start at around $2,969.65

As we touched on at the beginning of the knife, we should mention the legendary outliers—those with a value that’s way different from the norm. Let’s take a quick look at those knives that are so valuable and expensive that you would never find them in the marketplace and can only be found in private inventories.

The best knives—and the ones that we have to look at first in this section —are Karambit knives, particularly Karambit case-hardened skins with blue gem and a 387 pattern index. The pattern is one of the rarest out there, and as such, it is considered to be the most valuable Blue Gem in the game. What was initially bought by a Chinese collector for $100,000 has now been valued at no less than a massive $1.5 million.

Next, we’ll look at another outlier—the Talon Knife Blue Gem, which has a 55 pattern index and is valued at around $50,000. This may be leagues away from the $1.5 million Karambit, but it’s still hugely valuable—and worth a lot more than the knives you’ve seen in our top 10 list—and you certainly won’t find it at the Steam Marketplace.

We also have excluded these from our list of the most expensive knives as there are so few, and there aren’t many listings, especially for Karambit and Butterfly knives. That being said, they can be worth anywhere between £4,000 and $20,000… so they are definitely worth a mention!

So, there you have it – the rarest and most expensive CSGO knives and skin finishes in the business. So, if you’re looking to make an investment and you don’t mind splashing out, look through our most expensive CS2 knives list and see which one you like the look (and price) of the most!