Skin wear in CS2 is set by a float value between 0 and 1, and it sorts every item into five wear levels, in order: Factory New (0.00 to 0.07), Minimal Wear (0.07 to 0.15), Field-Tested (0.15 to 0.38), Well-Worn (0.38 to 0.45) and Battle-Scarred (0.45 to 1.00). The lower the float, the cleaner the skin looks and the more it usually costs. The float is assigned when the item drops and never changes afterward. Below we cover rarity tiers, each wear level and how the two work together to shape price.
Rarity and Quality of Skins
Skins in CS2 differ by two independent parameters: rarity and wear. Rarity decides how often an item drops from a case, while wear describes how a specific copy looks. Together they set an item's value on trading platforms: the rarer and cleaner the skin, the more it costs and the lower your chance of getting it by simply opening a case in the game.
Let's start with rarity. There are seven standard tiers plus the special Contraband category, each with its own color:
Consumer Grade: white.
Industrial Grade: light blue.
Mil-Spec: blue.
Restricted: purple.
Classified: pink.
Covert: red.
Rare Special (★): gold.
Contraband: orange.
Among weapon skins, the Contraband tier holds just one item: the M4A4 | Howl. It was moved there after its artwork was found to infringe copyright, and it no longer drops from cases. Today the Howl costs from around $4,150 in Field-Tested to about $7,250 in Factory New.
The Rare Special tier contains only knives and gloves; there are no regular weapon skins in it. Consumer and Industrial Grade skins never come from cases: they come from collections, weekly drops and trade-up contracts. For more on how the tiers are assigned, see how Valve determines skin rarity.
CS2 Skin Quality (Float Value)
Every skin, whether it is on a pistol, a rifle, a knife or a pair of gloves, carries some degree of wear. Some copies are practically free of scratches and defects, while others show visible scuffs and faded paint.
Float (or wear value) is the parameter that shows how damaged a skin's artwork is. It ranges from 0 to 1: the higher the number, the duller and more worn the weapon, knife or gloves look.
CS2 has five wear levels. Here are their names, abbreviations and float ranges:
| Wear | Abbreviation | Float range |
|---|---|---|
| Factory New | FN | 0.00 to 0.07 |
| Minimal Wear | MW | 0.07 to 0.15 |
| Field-Tested | FT | 0.15 to 0.38 |
| Well-Worn | WW | 0.38 to 0.45 |
| Battle-Scarred | BS | 0.45 to 1.00 |
One important detail: not every skin comes in all five wears. Each finish has its own allowed float range. The AK-47 | Redline, for example, exists between 0.10 and 0.70, so there is no Factory New version. The AWP | Asiimov starts at 0.18 and only comes in Field-Tested, Well-Worn and Battle-Scarred, while the M4A4 | Howl caps at 0.40, so a Battle-Scarred Howl does not exist.
You can check a skin's wear when buying it on a marketplace: the exact float is listed on the item card. It is also visible on the in-game inspect screen. For the cleanest copies on the market, see our list of skins with the lowest float in CS2.
Many players ask whether wear changes over time. It does not: the float is fixed when the skin drops or is created and stays the same no matter how much you play with it. Our guide on how skins wear in CS2 explains why it works this way.
Features of Each Wear Level
Here is what each wear level means in practice.
Factory New
The cleanest copies: bright artwork with no visible scuffs, as if the item just left the factory. Float 0.00 to 0.07. For most finishes this is the most expensive wear, and copies with a float close to 0.00 are valued even higher by collectors.
Minimal Wear
Float 0.07 to 0.15. These skins look nearly new: the scuffs are small and usually only noticeable up close. This wear is often the best balance between price and looks, although the gap to the next level can be large: a Minimal Wear AK-47 | Redline costs about $130, while Field-Tested goes for about $25.
Field-Tested
Float 0.15 to 0.38. Scratches, faded areas and other signs of wear are visible, but the skin still reads well in game. It is the most common wear on the market and a good fit for players on a budget who want a recognizable skin. Within the range, copies closer to 0.15 look noticeably cleaner.
Well-Worn
Float 0.38 to 0.45, the narrowest range. Wear is obvious, but the artwork is mostly intact. These skins often cost about the same as Field-Tested or Battle-Scarred copies, so compare neighboring wears before you buy.
Battle-Scarred
Float 0.45 to 1.00. The most worn copies, with the most visible damage, and usually the cheapest. On some finishes heavy wear actually looks good; see our list of great-looking skins with high float.
What Determines Skin Quality in CS2 and Its Market Value
The price of a specific copy comes down to several parameters:
Rarity. The higher the tier, the less often the skin drops and the more it costs.
Wear level and exact float. A lower float usually means a higher price, but the relationship is not linear. Well-Worn and Battle-Scarred AK-47 | Redline copies cost about $20, close to Field-Tested, while Minimal Wear is five times more expensive. The biggest price jumps happen at the wear boundaries.
Pattern. On some finishes (fades, Case Hardened, Doppler) the placement of the artwork depends on the pattern index, and rare patterns sell for far more than common ones.
Player preferences. A popular finish on a popular weapon keeps demand and prices up.
Stickers. Rare stickers can raise a skin's value, while an awkward combination can narrow the pool of buyers.
StatTrak skins usually cost more than regular ones: a StatTrak Field-Tested AK-47 | Redline goes for about $65 versus about $25 for the standard version. If you are picking a skin for a set budget, our step-by-step guide on how to choose a skin in CS2 will help.
In short, wear and rarity together define both how a skin looks and what it costs. Once you know the float boundaries, it is easier to find a copy that looks almost new but costs noticeably less. You can compare and buy skins in every wear on LIS-SKINS.
FAQ
What are the wear levels in CS2, in order?
From best to worst: Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW) and Battle-Scarred (BS). Each one covers its own float range between 0.00 and 1.00.
Does skin wear change over time?
No. The float is fixed when the skin drops or is created and does not increase with matches played or kills.
Why do some skins have no Factory New version?
Each finish has its own float range. If the minimum is above 0.07, as with the AK-47 | Redline (from 0.10) or the AWP | Asiimov (from 0.18), Factory New copies do not exist.
Which wear offers the best value?
Most often Minimal Wear, or Field-Tested with a low float within the range: they look close to new but cost less. Compare prices of neighboring wears before buying, as the gap varies a lot from skin to skin.
