by Stormtrooper on Jun 27, 2025
The in-game economy of CS2 is built on the huge interest of players in visual customization, and skins play a major role here. Skins are not only a great way to demonstrate your taste and style on the server, but also a good digital asset. In this context, one of the most important factors affecting the price, popularity, and liquidity of a skin is the wear level. Right now we will analyze what CS2 skin wear levels are, how they affect trading, and why a correct understanding of these values can significantly increase the efficiency of trading.
Each skin in CS2 has a certain float value (from 0.00 to 1.00), which corresponds to a certain wear level. These parameters determine how worn or new the skin looks. They determine both the visual component of the skin and its market value.
There are five main wear categories in CS2:
Factory New — float value ranges from 0.00 to 0.07;
Minimal Wear — float value ranges from 0.07 to 0.15;
Field-Tested — float value ranges from 0.15 to 0.38;
Well-Worn — float value ranges from 0.38 to 0.45;
Battle-Scarred — float value ranges from 0.45 to 1.00.
Each skin is assigned its own float value when dropped from a case. It does not change when the skin is used. For example, two skins with the same Minimal Wear type may have different float values: one is 0.071, and the other is 0.149. And this nuance can significantly affect the value of the skin and its appearance.
It is important for a player who buys or sells skins to understand the wear level of a skin. Here is why it is important:
Impact on the value of a skin.
The wear level is one of the main factors that determine the value of a skin. In most cases, the lower the float value, the higher the price. The difference in cost between the Factory New and Battle-Scarred versions can be several times, especially if the skin is popular.
For example, the cost of AK-47 | Inheritance in the Factory New version is about $200, and the Battle-Scarred version is about $56. The difference is impressive, and that is why traders and collectors pay close attention to CS2 Skin Wear Levels.
Impact on visual appeal.
Float value affects not only the cost of the skin but also its appearance. Some skins look much worse with high wear — the paint peels off the skin, design details are lost, and scratches and chips appear. This is especially noticeable on skins with colorful designs.
However, there are exceptions. Some skins, on the contrary, look brutal with high wear and can even be valued more in some cases. It all depends on the model, pattern, and buyers' preferences.
Impact on liquidity.
Skins with low wear are sold faster and easier. This is especially true for skins for popular models — AK-47, AWP, M4A1-S, Desert Eagle. When a player is looking for a beautiful skin, he usually wants it to look as good as possible. Therefore, Factory New and Minimal Wear are always a priority on the market.
Impact on the skin's collectible and investment value.
The better the skin looks, the higher its value to collectors. Factory New and Minimal Wear skins are often investment items since their number is limited. Over time, as demand increases and supply decreases, such skins grow in price much faster than their counterparts with higher wear.
So-called borderline floats are also popular, those that are on the border with Field-Tested, but look almost like Factory New or Minimal Wear. Such skins are bought cheaply and resold more expensively, using the nuances of wear in trading.
Understanding the difference within the same category.
Not all skins with the same wear type are equal in quality. For example, two Factory New skins can look completely different if one has a float of 0.02 and the other has a float of 0.05. Understanding the difference gives you an advantage when trading.
The level of wear of a skin in CS2 is far from a secondary parameter. It plays a key role in the formation of the price, visual appeal, liquidity, and investment value of the item. Understanding how wear levels work allows beginners and experienced traders to make more informed decisions when buying, selling, or exchanging skins. If you are trying to make money or just manage your inventory wisely, do not ignore the float value indicator. The difference between two identical skins can be not only in price but also in their growth potential in the future.