Updated August 29, 2026 — prices revised after the October 2025 market crash.
Quick answer: a "blue gem" is a Case Hardened item whose paint seed (0–1000) places the texture so the playside is almost entirely blue. The most valuable seeds are #661 on the AK-47 (its StatTrak FN copy sold for over $1,000,000 in June 2024 — the biggest verified public sale in CS history) and #387 on the Karambit, valued at $1.5–2 million.
#661 has a ~98% blue top with a small gold streak near the rear sight — the "scar" that names it. Roughly 149 copies are publicly known across all wears (≈11 non-ST FN, ~4 ST MW, and a single ST FN). #670 is the "Reverse Scar" (mirrored layout).
AK gold gems (gold top instead of blue): #784 leads ($15,000+), then #219, #473 and #538 ($10,000+). They appreciate less than blues: 2–10× multipliers vs 50–500×.
> ⇄ Got skins collecting dust? On the NTSkins Exchange you trade them straight for the skin you want — no deposit required; leftover value becomes balance.
What about the October 2025 crash? Valve's trade-up update wiped ~30–50% off the general market within days, but ultra-rare patterns held value far better than everything else — pattern scarcity can't be printed (Sportskeeda).
Hunting your own blue gem? The NTSkins marketplace has Case Hardened listings with fast delivery and prices below Steam. Written by the NTSkins team — data from csdb.gg, bo3.gg, Sportskeeda and public pattern databases.
What makes a Blue Gem?
Every Case Hardened item gets a paint seed between 0 and 1000 at unbox. The seed sets the offset and rotation of the blue/purple/gold texture over the 3D model — it's fixed forever, doesn't appear in the item name, and can only be read via the inspect link.
Three rules every buyer must know:
- Playside is everything. The side you see in first person drives ~all of the value; backside blue is a secondary bonus.
- Each weapon has its own UV map. Seed 661 is legendary on the AK — on a knife it's ordinary. Seed 670 is Tier 1 on the AK but the #1 pattern on the Flip Knife.
- On the AK, zones rank: top/dust cover > magazine ("blue mag") > barrel > stock (csdb.gg).
AK-47 Case Hardened: seed tier table
The AK Case Hardened shipped August 14, 2013 (CS:GO Weapon Case, long discontinued) — finite supply, infinite demand.
| Tier | Seeds | 2026 price range |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 0 | 661 ("The Scar") | $30,000+ any wear; the ST FN sold for $1M+ |
| Tier 1 | 151, 179, 321, 387, 670, 955 | thousands to six figures by wear/StatTrak |
| Tier 2 | 4, 13, 168, 429, 592, 905 | ~$5,000–20,000 |
| Tier 3 | 11, 74, 82, 92, 103, 112, 139, 147, 172, 189, 228, 236, 278, 310, 322, 363, 375, 426, 430, 434, 442, 450, 463, 497, 512, 555, 690, 695, 698, 708, 711, 713, 721, 733, 750, 760, 782, 791, 823, 828, 844, 849, 862, 868, 887, 917, 950, 961, 969, 978, 996 | ~$1,000–3,000 |
> 💰 A regular AK-47 Case Hardened costs $70–200 — any seed can be yours. Browse Case Hardened listings on NTSkins at up to 40% below Steam.
Karambit #387: the most valuable skin in CS
The Karambit Case Hardened seed 387 measures 99.5% playside blue (csdb.gg). Only 9 copies exist, a single Factory New — bought for ~$100k in 2016 by the Chinese collector known as "Blue King". In September 2021 he turned down a ~$1.5M Bitcoin offer with the reply that became a meme: "Not interested, 1.2 is low." Current estimates: $1.5–2 million.
Other Karambit Tier 1 seeds: 442, 269, 321, 73, 955, 853, 902, 507, 776. Seed #269 is the best double-sided gem (97.1% playside + 84.9% backside). A #387 Well-Worn sold for ~$120k in June 2023.
Budget blue gems: where to start
Not every blue gem costs a car. Affordable entries in 2026:
| Item | Best seeds | Entry price |
|---|---|---|
| MAC-10 Case Hardened (Riptide, 2021) | 239, 349, 406, 503, 667 | ~$150–380 for Tier 1! |
| Five-SeveN Case Hardened | 278 (top), 690, 868, 363, 670 | base $9–43; top FN can pass $10k |
| Five-SeveN Heat Treated (Armory, 2024) | 904 > 148 > 704 | 904 FN $2,000+; BS from ~$40 |
| Bayonet / M9 / Talon / Flip | 555 / 601 / 55 / 670 | M9 #601 has sold for $70k+ |
Record sales timeline
| Date | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Karambit #387 FN acquired by "Blue King" | ~$100k |
| Sep 2021 | Offer refused for the #387 | ~$1.5M |
| ~2022 | AK 661 ST MW with 4× Titan Holo Katowice 2014 | $400k+ |
| Jun 2023 | Karambit #387 WW | ~$120k |
| Jun 5, 2024 | AK-47 CH #661 StatTrak FN (float 0.0483) | $1,000,000+ — biggest verified public CS sale ever (bo3.gg) |
How to verify a pattern before buying
- Copy the listing's inspect link.
- Read the paint seed in a checker (CSFloat's extension or csdb.gg's inspect tool).
- Cross-reference the seed on isitabluegem.com or pattern.wiki (they render all 1,000 seeds per weapon).
- For big purchases, demand a fresh screenshot at a consistent angle — never trust reused images.
FAQ
What seed is a blue gem?
There's no official list. Community consensus: AK-47 #661, Karambit #387, Five-SeveN #278, Heat Treated #904, Bayonet #555, M9 #601, Talon #55, Flip #670, MAC-10 #239/#667.Is 661 really the best AK pattern?
Yes — it sits in its own tier (Tier 0), above everything. ~149 known copies, and the single StatTrak FN is the most expensive skin ever sold publicly.How much is a blue gem worth?
From ~$150 (MAC-10 Tier 1) to $1M+ (AK 661 ST FN). Tier, playside blue %, float and StatTrak multiply the price. A regular Case Hardened: $70–200.Are gold patterns worth anything?
Yes, but a niche: AK #784 tops $15k, #219/#473/#538 top $10k. Multipliers are far smaller than for blues.Does StatTrak add value?
At the very top, yes (the $1M sale was ST). Mid-tier the premium is inconsistent and can even hurt liquidity.Hunting your own blue gem? The NTSkins marketplace has Case Hardened listings with fast delivery and prices below Steam. Written by the NTSkins team — data from csdb.gg, bo3.gg, Sportskeeda and public pattern databases.
