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- Stickers are cosmetic items you apply to weapons; they can be bought loose or in capsules.
- Common stickers cost a few CA$ (approx.), while famous holos can reach five or six figures.
- Gambling sites usually value the weapon and may ignore sticker premium on deposit.
- All prices are approximate and change daily.
Stickers turned from a minor cosmetic into a serious corner of the CS2 market. Esports team logos, player signatures and artist-designed stickers can be placed on up to four slots on a weapon, and a few of them are among the priciest items in the game. In this guide our team explains how stickers work, what the notable ones cost in Canadian dollars (approx.), and how to treat them if you use skins on gambling sites. For the capsule side of the story, see sticker capsules worth it.
How stickers work
You buy or receive a sticker, then apply it to a weapon skin through the inventory. Each weapon has four sticker slots and stickers can be placed in a position and scraped over time. Stickers come in several finishes: Paper, Glitter, Holo, Foil and Gold. Rarer finishes cost more. Tournament stickers, especially Major ones, create scarcity because the capsules were available only for a limited time.
In CS2, stickers from older tournaments cannot be obtained anew from drops, which is why Katowice 2014 stickers carry such premiums. The effect is similar to the supply constraints discussed in the rarest CS2 case drops.
Notable stickers and approx. CA$ prices
| Sticker | Rarity tier | Capsule / event | Notes | Approx. price (CA$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iBUYPOWER (Holo) | Katowice 2014 | Holo | Katowice 2014 Legends | Among the most famous; extremely limited supply | 50,000 to 200,000+ |
| Titan (Holo) | Katowice 2014 | Holo | Katowice 2014 Challengers | Collector icon | 40,000 to 150,000+ |
| Reason Gaming (Holo) | Katowice 2014 | Holo | Katowice 2014 Challengers | Rare holo | 30,000 to 120,000+ |
| Crown (Foil) | Foil | Older community capsule | Not an esports team item; collectors love it | 1,500 to 4,500 |
| Howling Dawn | Remarkable | Older community capsule | Popular craft sticker | 1,200 to 3,500 |
| Flammable (Foil) | Foil | Older community capsule | Seen on knife and AK crafts | 40 to 150 |
| Team logo (Paper), recent Major | Paper/Foil | Recent Major capsule | Cheap; used for fun crafts | 1 to 10 |
| Player autograph (Gold), recent Major | Remarkable | Recent Major autograph capsule | Price depends on player and team success | 5 to 100+ |
The Katowice 2014 and Howling Dawn entries are headline examples; actual sale prices depend on condition, stickers sold individually or applied, and market conditions. Treat the ranges as wide approximate bands, not valuations.
Sticker capsules: odds and value
Sticker capsules work like cases: you open one and receive a random sticker. Odds follow the rarity of the sticker. High-value stickers are low probability, so the expected value tends to sit below the capsule price, like other chance items. Capsules can still be worthwhile if you want a specific team or like the lottery aspect. Read case opening odds and sticker capsules worth it for the math and sensible expectations.
Major capsules also change in value after the event. Buying a capsule at the start of a Major often costs more than waiting, and many sticker prices fall after the initial hype. Our CS2 Majors and skin prices piece shows typical patterns.
Sticker crafts
A craft is a weapon with a deliberate sticker layout, often with matching stickers on a theme. Notable examples are four identical gold or holo stickers on a single AK or AWP. Crafts are artistic and sold at a premium to the sum of parts only if the buyer likes the look. The premium is not guaranteed.
- Check that stickers are unscraped; a scraped sticker is visibly weaker.
- Compare the price to the weapon plus the sum of loose stickers.
- Be wary of listings that pay far above market for a craft, since sticker premium vanishes when you try to resell.
- Applying stickers is permanent unless you scratch them off; removing is not reversible.
Sticker value on gambling sites
This is where sticker owners get surprised. A gambling site that accepts weapon skins typically prices the base skin and may not credit sticker premium.
- Deposit value vs Steam price: an AK with Katowice 2014 stickers may be deposited and credited at the plain AK's price. If the stickers are worth much more than the weapon, sell it elsewhere.
- Which sites accept stickers: CSGOEmpire, CSGORoll, CSGOBig, CSGOFast and Gamdom focus on weapon skins, knives and gloves. Loose stickers and capsules may be accepted by some P2P markets but not all, so check the accepted items list.
- Selling first: list a sticker craft on a collector market or a trusted marketplace, then deposit the cash or balance. See how to deposit skins.
- Remove or keep: never scrape a sticker to "test" it; value is lost permanently.
Liquidity tips for stickers
- Cheap stickers sell easily at small volumes; high-value holos can take weeks to find a buyer.
- Use well-known marketplaces for expensive items and insist on secure payment.
- Pay attention to Steam trade holds and cooldowns on newly acquired items. See Steam trade protection.
- Price loose stickers off the lowest listing and recent sales, not off listed asks that no one has met.
- Beware of fake sticker listings; read how to avoid scams.
Stickers as an investment
Some people treat old stickers as stores of value. The supply is fixed, but demand is speculative and trends shift. Illiquidity is a real risk: a five-figure sticker is hard to sell quickly at a fair price. Our skins as an investment article covers more. This is general information, not financial advice.
Canada angle: CAD, Steam and taxes
On the Canadian Steam store, loose stickers and capsules are priced in CA$. A US$100 sticker is roughly CA$138 at about 1.38 CAD per USD, so check the exchange rate when buying from US-quoted markets. Remember the Steam fee (5% plus 10% for CS2) when planning resale; the Steam fee calculator does the math. For long-term holdings that you later sell for a gain, the CRA may treat the proceeds differently from casual gambling winnings; read our taxes guide and talk to a tax professional. Not legal or tax advice.
How to evaluate a sticker craft
Start by pricing the base weapon at its wear tier. Then price each sticker separately using the lowest current listing. Add the two, and then compare with the asking price. If the craft costs far more than the sum, you are paying for aesthetics, and you should be confident that a future buyer will agree. Crafts with crisp symmetry or clever themes sell more reliably than random combinations.
Position matters too. Stickers placed on the visible side of the gun or on the slot most visible in first-person view tend to get a premium over stickers placed in hidden slots. Always check the inspect screenshot for placement and scrape.
Sticker scams to watch for
- Fake inspect screenshots that show stickers not on the item.
- Requests to pay outside a protected marketplace.
- Listings that mislabel a paper sticker as a holo or foil.
- Sellers pressuring you to confirm a trade before checking.
Quick sticker checklist
Before buying any sticker, confirm its exact name, finish (Paper, Glitter, Holo, Foil or Gold) and the event or capsule it came from. Compare the lowest current listing with recent sale prices rather than relying on asking prices. If it is already applied to a weapon, inspect the item to verify placement, scrape level and that the stickers genuinely belong to that item. Check trade locks and whether the seller has a clean history. If you plan to use a sticker-heavy weapon on a gambling site, expect the site to credit mostly the base weapon and sell the craft elsewhere. Record what you paid in CA$ including exchange and fees, so that you can review real returns later. Most of all, keep expectations realistic: stickers are a collectible market, prices for rare items move on sentiment and a handful of big buyers, and the exits are narrower than for mainstream weapon skins. If a deal feels urgent or secretive, step back and verify before you proceed.
Responsible play. Opening capsules and wagering sticker-heavy items are forms of gambling. Set a budget and walk away when it is spent. Gambling is provincially regulated in Canada and offshore skin sites are not licensed in Ontario. For help, contact ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) or your provincial helpline, and see our responsible gambling page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most valuable CS2 stickers?
Katowice 2014 holo stickers such as iBUYPOWER (Holo) and Titan (Holo), plus Crown (Foil) and Howling Dawn, are among the best-known. Prices vary and change daily.
Do stickers add value to skins?
They can, especially when placed on a pattern or craft with rare stickers. However, many gambling sites and algorithms ignore stickers, so sell sticker crafts as collectibles.
Are sticker capsules worth opening?
Usually the expected value of opening capsules is below the cost, like other chance-based items. Buying individual stickers can be better. See our article on sticker capsules.
Do stickers wear out?
Stickers applied to a weapon can be scraped, which reduces their appearance and eventually removes them. Scraping changes value, so keep that in mind.
Can I deposit stickers on gambling sites?
Some sites accept sticker items or capsules, but acceptance and valuation vary. Check each site's accepted-items list.
Play responsibly: CS2 gambling is for adults 19+ (18+ in AB, MB, QC). Set limits, never chase losses, and use self-exclusion if it stops being fun. Free, confidential help: ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 or your provincial helpline — see our responsible gambling page.