On Tuesday, the second major in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive began in Stockholm. Valve, the game's creator, had previously released the accompanying sticker capsules on the market. The stickers, which identify the teams competing in the tournament, have already established a tradition. Since the second CS: GO major in 2014, stickers have been available for each subsequent one. The most costly are now those of the Major from 2014, which sell for over 20,000 euros.

What distinguishes stickers from other items?

Stickers, unlike skins, are always of high quality and have no "wear and tear" value. The stickers can be applied to the weapons virtually. It is possible to "scratch off" the graphics on the weapon after application to produce a worn impression. The stickers come in capsules with 17 stickers apiece. Which sticker is drawn is determined by chance.

It's worth mentioning that stickers from older events tend to sell for more money than stickers from recent events. The ESL Major Series One Katowice 2014 was the first tournament where these cosmetics were offered, and it also includes a list of the most costly capsules in which the stickers can be purchased on the CS: GO Items market. A Legends capsule is priced at 1,279 euros, while a Challengers capsule is priced at 1,896 euros.

Sticker rarity

There are five types of stickers in CS: GO ranging from High Grade to Contraband.

Blue (high grade)

Purple (holo)

Pink (foil)

Gold (souvenir foil)

Gold (contraband)

There is just one category "Contraband" in sticker history, and it is the sticker "The Howling Dawn," which was issued on May 1st, 2014. The sticker is now available on Steam for 1,508 euros.

But it's nothing compared to the holo stickers from the first major. Some of the stickers for the ESL Major Series One Katowice 2014 are presently valued at over 20,000 euros, according to CS.Money. Remember, this is a recommendation set by the site based on rarity and historical sales prices.

The top five most costly stickers are as follows:

iBUYPOWER took first place (Holo)

The iBUYPOWER Holo is the first and foremost. It's no wonder that the team is at the forefront, given that the majority of the more expensive stickers come with some sort of narrative. Later in 2014, the company's infamous betting fraud scandal resulted in a permanent ban on Valve-sponsored Counter-Strike competitions. A sticker costs a whopping 23,812 euros right now.

Titan (Holo) came in second place

The holo-sticker from Team Titan comes in second. With a Belgian-French team, the esports organisation began in Katowice. The cheating controversy involving the French Hovik'KQLY' Tovmassian, which cost Titan participation in the following major DreamHack Winter 2014, rocked the organisation at the end of 2014. The price of the sticker is presently 20,856 euros.

Reason came in third place.

The Holo by Reason Gaming, which began with a Danish lineup in Katwice, is another high-priced sticker. Finn 'karrigan' Andersen, the FaZe Clan's current in-game captain, was one of them. The current price of the orange sticker with the joystick outline is 16,422 euros.

Vox Eminor came in fourth place (Holo)

The Australian VOX Eminor team was selected from an EMS Katowice (2014) Challengers capsule and was captained by none other than veteran gamer Chad 'SPUNJ' Burchill, who will now be the current major's caster. The price of a Vox Eminor sticker is 13,138 euros.

Dignitas came in fifth place (Holo)

The Dignitas holo sticker comes in fifth place. In Katowice, the team was made of entirely of Danes. Andreas'Xyp9x' Hjsleth, Nicolai'dev1ce' Reedtz, and Peter'dupreeh' Rasmussen were among them, three players who would go on to construct the Astralis mythology.

As a result, the stickers that are today the most expensive are also the oldest. Those who want to use the stickers to personalize their weaponry will have to delve deep into their pockets. The price spiral for Katowice stickers has shifted dramatically upwards in comparison to last year. According to CS.Money, the iBUYPOWER holo sticker cost 13,156 euros in May 2020. It should be emphasized, however, that the stickers are not readily available. In addition to the exorbitant price, the stickers are highly rare.