The Most Expensive CSGO Knives

Since the introduction of skins in the game, knives have stood out as the ultimate luxury, and over time, their prices have skyrocketed. Every knife skin that was released up until today is considered extremely rare and valuable, with some reaching jaw-dropping prices of tens of thousands of dollars.

In this article, we will look at the 10 most expensive CSGO knife skins currently available on the market. Keep in mind that we’ll be skipping those with little to no listings to avoid confusion over unrealistic $100k+ price tags.

For budget players, here's a guide on the best cheap CS2 knives to enhance your in-game experience.

Why Are Knives the Most Expensive Items in Counter-Strike?

Let’s kick things off by emphasizing just how rare and valuable knife skins are. There aren’t many of them floating around, and even the cheapest ones will set you back at least $100. But what exactly determines a knife skin’s price tag?

First of all, some knives are harder to be unboxed, which naturally drives up their value. Second, float values play a crucial role — nobody wants a beat-up blade covered in scratches. Then, there’s the matter of StatTrak. However, unlike with regular weapons, knives without StatTrak very often fetch a higher price as the StatTrak display can sometimes ruin the aesthetic. On top of all of that, certain skins come with different patterns, and the rarest or most visually striking ones command even higher premiums.

To sum it up, just like with all the skins in CS, the priciest knives are both rare and stunning. With that in mind, let’s check out the most expensive knife skins in the game.

Bayonet | Doppler Sapphire

We’re kicking off our list with a sleek and stylish purple Bayonet — a true classic among high-end knives. Its clean, straightforward design keeps things pretty realistic, while the lack of saw-backed edges adds an elegant touch. Introduced in 2015, this knife has remained a community favorite ever since.

A well-chosen knife can showcase your style; check out the best CS2 knife skins to find the perfect one for you.

Most Valuable Patterns: N/A

Price: $2,968.39–$5,700

Karambit | Doppler Sapphire

Karambits always turn heads with their unique design and mesmerizing spin animation. However, the Sapphire variant isn’t the most popular choice among all the options, and that’s why it’s only in 9th place. Still, it boasts a stunning blade finish and an eye-catching contrast against in-game textures, making this dark Karambit a hidden gem among the most expensive CSGO knives.

Most Valuable Patterns: 575, 205, 548

Price: $9,217.46–$9,250

M9 Bayonet | Doppler Black Pearl

Here’s the only representative of the Doppler Black Pearl skin series on our list, applied to the mighty M9 Bayonet. The family of modified Bayonets is already one of the most high-priced in CS2 by itself, and pairing it with the ultra-rare Doppler Black Pearl finish just dials up the exclusivity. It’s no surprise that this beauty fetches such an eye-watering price.

Most Valuable Patterns: 291

Price: $4,918.79–$10,252.90

M9 Bayonet | Doppler Sapphire

Another unique dagger type in our most expensive CS2 skins for knife list is the Talon Knife | Doppler Sapphire. Of course, when you combine the premium Sapphire finish with the ever-popular M9 Bayonet, you get an absolute showstopper. Some may call it overpriced, but true fans will defend this masterpiece with passion. Anyway, while the M9 Bayonet | Doppler Sapphire is not the most expensive CS knife of all time, it still rightfully deserves a spot on this list.

Most Valuable Patterns: N/A

Price: $9,900–$10,885.80

Karambit | Doppler Ruby

Let’s continue with another Karambit, this time rocking a fiery ruby-red finish. Just picture yourself spinning this beauty under the bright lighting of Dust 2 or Anubis — absolutely breathtaking! Released in 2015, only a handful of these knives are available for purchase, which keeps the price unsurprisingly sky-high.

Most Valuable Patterns: 505, 56, 350

Price: $6,890.63–$11,080.20

Karambit | Gamma Doppler Emerald

With a perfect in-game contrast, the knife claims a well-deserved spot in the middle of our rankings. Given the knife's already great look, Karambit’s spinning animation only adds to its appeal, making it even more desirable. Despite being released in 2016 with the “Gamma Exposure” update, these emerald beauties remain incredibly scarce.

For collectors, the rarest knife in CS2 is a coveted item worth boasting about.

Most Valuable Patterns: 286, 754, 659

Price: $8,500–$13,658.50

M9 Bayonet | Gamma Doppler Emerald

The M9 Bayonet makes another appearance, this time with the stunning Gamma Doppler Emerald finish. Since CS2’s default textures tend to be on the dull side, rocking one of the most vibrant skins in the game makes perfect sense and explains the price. Another significant advantage of the painted M9 Bayonet is the size of the edge, which automatically enhances its visual appeal price tag.

Most Valuable Patterns: N/A

Price: $9,757–$15,397.80

Butterfly knife | Doppler Sapphire

Butterfly Knife Doppler Sapphire with the 387 pattern is considered one of the most sought-after and, therefore, one of the priciest on the market. If you’re a high-rolling CS2 player, be prepared to drop anywhere from $14,000 up to almost $20,000. The rarity is pretty typical for almost every knife in this list, with only a handful of copies available in various markets.

Most Valuable Patterns: 387, 273, 401

Price: $11,923.10–$16,008.80

Curious about the worth of your virtual items? Check out this CS2 inventory value checker tool.

Butterfly knife | Gamma Doppler Emerald

With a release date in 2021, the Butterfly Knife Gamma Doppler Emerald predictably cemented its status as one of the most prestigious knives in the game. You can even consider this the most expensive knife in CS2 among those that you can realistically find on the market. It's quite baffling that the developers took so long to combine this iconic blade of the butterfly version with the famous emerald finish.

Most Valuable Patterns: 485, 505

Price: $13,461.50–$18,411.70

This isn't the last butterfly knife on our list, so it's a natural question to ask why are butterfly knives so expensive, which we tried to answer.

Karambit | Case Hardened

We are closing our list with the rarest and most expensive CS2 knife ever — the famous Blue Gem Karambit. All Case Hardened knives are already ridiculously hardy to unbox, to begin with, but there are even rarer patterns that are almost fully blue. The chances of getting one of those are less than 1 in 10,000, while the most expensive 387 pattern was unboxed only once. This makes it the rarest knife, and it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Most Valuable Patterns: 387, 4, 73, 269, 417, 442, 463, 470

Price: $40,000–$1,000,000+

Most Expensive CSGO Knife Ever Sold

Speaking of rare Blue Gem patterns and what is the most expensive CSGO knife overall, we’d like to mention several famous big deals.

In May 2023, a Minimal Wear Talon Knife | Case Hardened (Pattern 923) sold for approximately $111,000 on the Chinese marketplace BUFF163. The buyer? None other than YouTuber and content creator, Anomaly.

Another mind-blowing deal took place in 2023 — a Factory New StatTrak Karambit Case Hardened (pattern 387) with nearly 100% blue coverage was offered to sell for approximately $1.4 million. However, the current owner, a Chinese collector known as 青い王 ("Blue King"), turned it down. Therefore, the Karambit Blue Gem with the 387 pattern still remains unsold to this day.

Conclusion

Answering the question of what is the most expensive knife in CSGO isn’t easy, as the prices constantly fluctuate, and the market is full of strategic traders. However, one thing is clear: If you want to own one of the priciest knives in the game, look for a rare model (Karambit, Butterfly, etc.), a premium finish (Doppler, Case Hardened Blue Gem patterns, etc.), and a low float — and you’ll be holding a true masterpiece.

And of course, without valuable knives, you can't collect the most expensive inventory in CS2, which are one of its main components.