Some stickers in Counter-Strike are very expensive – but what is it about them that makes them more pricey than even some of the most sought-after weapon skins? These are the most expensive stickers in CS:GO and Counter-Strike 2.
Alongside some very pricey weapon cosmetics, there is another aspect to Counter-Strike’s in-depth market and trading economy that excites every collector: Stickers.
Virtual stickers in CS:GO and Counter-Strike 2 occupy a special slice of the market. The cost of a sticker is determined by a number of factors, which we’ll break down before delving into the most expensive ones.
For the most expensive weapon skins, check out our list here. If you’re looking for the best CS:GO knives, we have a list for that too. And if you want some amazing stickers that won’t cost a fortune, check our list of the best stickers in CS:GO here.
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Why are CSGO stickers expensive?
Not every sticker is expensive. In fact, you can get some for a few pennies. But, some stickers are worth thousands, because they are so rare, and yet so desirable.
Unlike skins, sticker quality is not affected by its wear or ‘float value.’ But, once applied to a weapon, they cannot be reused. Instead, they can only be scraped off, deleting the sticker permanently. For this reason, there are some old stickers that will never be available again, and every time one is scraped, the supply drops.
Applying some of these expensive stickers can increase the price of the weapon greatly too. One of the most sought-after skin and sticker combinations is the AK-47 Redline with four iBUYPOWER Katowice 2014 Holo stickers. More on that later!
Sticker rarity
There are five rarities of stickers in CS:GO, ranging from High Grade up to Contraband. While they operate as a general guideline, there are exceptions to the rule, as you’ll find out further on. The following rarities are available:
- Blue (High Grade)
- Purple (Remarkable/Holo/Glitter)
- Pink (Exotic/Foil)
- Red (Souvenir/Gold)
- Gold (Contraband)
In our most expensive skins guide, we mentioned the Howl, the only contraband skin. So too, there is only one sticker that occupies the ‘Contraband’ status, The Howling Dawn. Valve reworked an originally plagiarized artwork and bumped up its rarity to a brand-new classification, which they aptly named Contraband.
While The Howling Dawn sticker is expensive, it’s not the most expensive. These are the most expensive stickers in Counter-Strike.
Top 20 most expensive CSGO stickers
20. KennyS (Gold) | Krakow (2017) – $2,800
Sneaking into the top 20 is KennyS, with his gold signature sticker from the Krakow 2017 Major. These Gold signatures from this major are arguably the best-looking golds in the game, and are also extremely rare, with around 50 known to be tradeable as of 2022.
19. suNny (Gold) | Krakow (2017) – $3,000
He might not be as good as s1mple, but suNny’s name on this bright signature makes it one of the most expensive Krakow gold on the market right now. There are also only 31 of them tradeable.
18. Titan (Paper) | Katowice (2014) – $3,000
The paper version of the Titan sticker from Katowice 2014 is far cheaper than it’s holo version (see below), but it’s still almost three grand – for a paper sticker! The iBUYPOWER and Reason papers will also set you back over two thousand.
17. 3DMAX (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $3,300
The first of many Kato 2014 holos you will see on this list, the 3DMAX is the ‘best of the worst’ of them, and while it’s appearance isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s rarity certainly makes it valuable.
16. Mousesports (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $3,300
The mouseports holo is often used in what are called ‘Tom and Jerry’ crafts – where you pair the mouse with an iBUYPOWER sticker.
15. Virtus.Pro (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $4,100
Now we’re getting to the really great-looking Kato 2014 holos, starting with VP. This is a legendary organization in CS:GO, and this is by far their most expensive major sticker.
14. Ropz (Gold) | Krakow (2017) – $4,300
Another Krakow Gold, Ropz’s graffiti-like signature earns this sticker a fierce price tag of over $4,000. There are less than 40 of these stickers still tradeable.
13. keev (Gold) | Krakow (2017) – $4,800
Another Krakow gold, keev might not have the name value of KennyS, but his crown signature looks amazing, hence his sticker costs a touch more at the moment.
12. Clan-Mystik (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $4,800
Coming in marginally more expensive than the NaVi Holo, the Clan Mystik Holo can be found in the EMS Katowice (2014) Challengers capsule. The French squad was formed of a few recognizable faces, including a G2 Esports’ Kenny ‘kennyS’ Schrub.
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11. LGB Esports (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $5,000
Another Holo from the EMS Katowice (2014) Legends capsule, LGB Esports were formed of the core members that would go on to form the Fnatic dynasty. After breezing past their Group Stage matches, they were eliminated to the eventual event winners, Virtus.Pro.
10. s1mple (Gold) | Krakow (2017) – $5,600
Of course, while his signature is straightforward, s1mple is the greatest player of all time, hence why his Krakow 2017 gold sticker is almost $5,000.
9. Keshandr (Gold) | Krakow (2017) – $6,000
Keshandr never quite became a superstar in CS:GO, but his Major signature definitely did. With a protruding shark, this is probably the most iconic player signature in all of CS. And to get in Gold from this major will cost at least $5,000 in 2023.
8. HellRaisers (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $8,400
Coming from the EMS Katowice (2014) Legends capsule, the HellRaisers Holo creeps into the top 10. Complete with flame decals inside the HR of the logo, this Holo provides good contrast on most weapon skins in the game.
7. Natus Vincere (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $11,000
Fresh out of the more expensive EMS Katowice (2014) Challengers capsule, the Natus Vincere roster crashed out in dead last at this Major. Although one silver lining, one of Counter-Strike’s most legendary AWPers of all time, Ladislav ‘GuardiaN’ Kovács, made his Major debut here.
6. Team Dignitas (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $20,000
Found in the EMS Katowice (2014) Legends capsule, the all-Danish roster of Team Dignitas replaced Nicolaj ‘Nico’ Jensen for René ‘cajunb’ Borg in time for EMS One and comprised a core who would go on to form the legendary Astralis squad.
5. Team LDLC (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $20,000
Team LDLC has a controversial storyline, which could be why their team’s Kato 2014 sticker ranks so high. One of the members, Hovik ‘KQLY’ Tovmassian, was caught cheating and received an indefinite Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) ban after the Major. The team’s sticker can be found in the EMS Katowice (2014) Legends capsule. The sticker also has a rainbow color effect.
4. Vox Eminor (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $35,000
Pulled from an EMS Katowice (2014) Challengers capsule, the Australian VOX Eminor roster was led by none other than legendary player-turned-caster, Chad ‘SPUNJ’ Burchill. While the team crashed out in dead last, their sticker remains one of the most sought-after in the game.
3. Reason Gaming (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $45,000
Of the ‘big three’, the Reason Gaming Holo is the least expensive, but it looks amazing. With the orange gradient and joystick outline in the middle of the logo, plenty crave to add this Holo to their collection.
2. iBUYPOWER (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $60,000+
In the number two spot is, of course, the iBUYPOWER Holo. Given that most of the more expensive stickers have some kind of narrative associated with them, it’s no surprise that this one takes top honors.
Exclusively pulled from the more expensive EMS Katowice (2014) Challengers capsule, this sticker is mainly responsible for such a surge in the price of all the aforementioned Katowice (2014 stickers). If you’re looking to snag one, the capsule will set you back round $12,000.
But, even this amazing-looking sticker isn’t the most expensive, just…
1. Titan (Holo) | Katowice (2014) – $60,000+
The final sticker to come from the EMS Katowice (2014) Legends capsule, the Titan squad at EMS One consisted of Belgian Counter-Strike headshot king, Adil ‘ScreaM’ Benrlitom. While the team flopped out in 9th-12th place, the sticker is the cream of the crop of CS:GO stickers. The bright shiny blue gives this Titan Holo an expensive look, matched by the price.
As for the team, the star-studded lineup was subsequently forbidden from attending the next Major (DreamHack Winer 2014), following KQLY’s VAC ban.
Note: Prices based on the cheapest listings on marketplaces like Buff 163 and BitSkins (via Candry.Dev)
So that’s it, that rounds up the most expensive stickers in CS:GO history. While Katowice (2014) stickers dominate the rankings, Krakow 2017 golds are starting to climb up.