If you know anything about Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you know that apart from the masses of online players and some of the most significant esports events, there's a whole other aspect to the game - the CS:GO skin market. Trading skins and chests is another universe altogether that goes beyond the game, and there are so many people participating it's hard to comprehend it if you are new to it.

Every now and then, there's a purchase in this universe that shakes it to its core, where an extremely rare item goes for an extremely high price, and everybody is in awe, inspiring many of them to try to get them as well. This was the case back in 2018 when a Dragon Lore skin was sold for over $61k. We'll go into detail about why the price was so high and why the skin is so rare, so keep reading if you want to find out more on one of the most expensive CSGO skin ever sold.

Introducing: Dragon Lore

The Dragon Lore series of skins is one of the rarest drops out there, only available for short periods. To be more specific, they only drop from Cobblestone packages, which are only available during certain events sponsored by Valve. These skins are very expensive, going for thousands of dollars even when they are the most common items from the set.

It should also be mentioned that the skin isn't just sought after for its rarity; it's also designed to have a unique look. However, even with that being said, you're not very likely to see one in a casual game because they are highly sought after, and when people get them, most of them decide to sell them as they like the money more than the prestige of having one.

So what is it that made this specific skin go for such a large amount of money? There were certainly other factors than just the base skin rarity that influenced the price, and this is what we'll discuss next.

What Gave This Rifle Skin Its Value?

Other than the Dragon Lore just being rare and expensive already, this specific one that was sold for over 61k$ was also Factory New. What does that mean? Well, with CS:GO skins, there are levels of 'wear and tear' that affect their prices. They range from Battle Scarred, which shows visible scratches and things like that on the skin, all the way to Factory New.

The Factory New Skins look just as the name suggests - like they just got off the conveyor belt in a ridiculously advanced gun factory. Because of that, and because they are simply the rarest versions of the skins, they are considered to be the most expensive. But they still aren't worth 61k$, so what was it that made this specific skin go for so much?

Why Was It So Sought-After?

Well, the first thing you should know is that it was purchased right after the ELeague Major: Boston esports event, which was the first time it was won by an American team - Cloud9. After a very tense match, the esports fans were already in an uproar, and that's when the purchase of this skin was published.

The skin is actually very special, and tied to this event, as it features a detail that makes the Factory New condition of the skin even rarer - a sticker with the autograph from Cloud9's Tyler "Skadoodle" Latham. These stickers can only be acquired by spectating Majors events, and getting Souvenir crates, and are very limited. So, to have a Factory New Dragon Lore skin with an unscratched autograph sticker in the world of CS:GO skin trading is the equivalent of winning the lottery.

For that reason, the skins seller would not have sold for anything below the aforementioned price, and that's how we got one of the most expensive CS:GO transactions in the history of the game.

Why Is the CS:GO Skin Market So Active?

As you could read above, there are some skins you can get in CS:GO that are extremely expensive, but that isn't the only reason people venture into this market. Of course, hitting a jackpot like this one is great news for any trader out there, but most of the people who enjoy trading don't ever get something as high-end as the Dragon Lore skin we were discussing.

Most of them trade a lot of skins and don't earn much more than enough to get some more chests and repeat the process. Of course, if you're smart and know when to buy and when to sell, you can make a decent buck, but that's not even the main point. The Dragon Lore skins aren't expensive just for their good looks or rarity, but also for their prestige. Seeing this skin in action is a rare opportunity, and just randomly running into it in a game is sure to be remembered by any player out there.

There's also a plethora of other skins that you can get, from guns to knives and stickers, which can all go for a serious amount of money, but also serve to impress your friends in the next competitive game you all gather to play.

In Conclusion

That's pretty much all you need to know about one of the most expensive public transactions ever on the CS:GO skin market. A lot of factors had to align themselves perfectly for this to be possible, but in this instance, they did, and the result is one for the history books when it comes to this entire market.

So if you want to get into this market, you know what you can strive for, but you should know to always start small and work your way up, as this way, you can get more out of the time you invested in the game.