If you have ever traded or browsed the Steam Market for CS2 skins, you have probably noticed that two items with the same name and the same exterior label can have very different prices. The difference usually comes down to one number: the float value.
What is a float value?
Every CS2 skin has a float value, which is a decimal number between 0.00 and 1.00 assigned to the item the moment it is created. That means the float is rolled when you unbox a case, receive a drop, or complete a trade-up contract. It never changes after that. Playing matches, trading the skin, or letting it sit in your inventory will not alter the number in any way.
The float value acts as a wear meter. A number close to 0 means the skin looks almost untouched. A number close to 1 means it looks heavily scratched, faded, and worn. The exterior label you see on the item is just a bucket that the float falls into, which is why two copies with the same label can look noticeably different in-game.
The five wear tiers
Valve groups float values into five named conditions:
- 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
Why float matters for trading
The exact float value can significantly affect a skin's price, sometimes even more than the exterior label alone. A Factory New copy at 0.06 trades near the floor for that wear tier, while a Factory New at 0.001 can sell for double or more, because collectors chase those ultra-low floats. On some skins the gap between adjacent tiers is substantial. One market analysis found that the cheapest Factory New AK-47 Asiimov sat around $344, while Battle-Scarred started near $38, a ninefold difference driven by the narrow FN float window and the rarity of clean rolls.
Within a single wear tier the pattern holds too. A Field-Tested skin at 0.15 looks close to Minimal Wear and usually commands a higher price than the same skin at 0.37, even though both share the same exterior label on the market. In Battle-Scarred the dynamic flips slightly: the dirtiest copies sometimes carry a small premium because max-float skins attract their own niche of collectors.
How to check float in-game
The easiest way to check a skin's float is to inspect it in CS2. Open your inventory, right-click the skin, and select Inspect. In the info panel that appears, look for the Wear Rating field. That decimal number is the exact float value.
If you are looking at a skin you do not own, such as a Steam Market listing or a trade offer, you can copy the inspect link and paste it into a third-party float checker like SteamAnalyst or Total CS. These tools will show the float value, paint seed, and wear condition without requiring you to own the item.
Understanding float is one of the most practical steps you can take if you want to trade skins with confidence. It helps you avoid overpaying for a high-float copy wearing a premium label, and it helps you price your own skins more accurately when you decide to sell.
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