The most famous AK-47 pattern in CS2 changed hands in a private negotiation reported July 23 evening. AK-47 Case Hardened pattern #661 (Blue Gem) sold for $260,000 — the highest publicly-reported non-knife pattern lottery transaction in CS2 history.
The specific asset
- Skin: AK-47 | Case Hardened (Factory New)
- Pattern index: 661 (Blue Gem — the celebrity-tier Case Hardened pattern)
- Float value: 0.006842 (near-lowest float achievable — approximately 0.2% of Case Hardened FN inventory below this float)
- Sticker slots: 4× empty
- StatTrak status: No (regular)
- Sale channel: Private negotiation between two collectors, escrow-mediated. Not on any public marketplace.
- Sale price: $260,000 (confirmed via seller-side statement, buyer identity not disclosed)
The Blue Gem #661 history
Pattern #661 is the most-searched CS2 pattern index in the game's history. Its documented ownership chain over the past 6 years:
- 2019: First surfaced via a Steam Community Market listing at $28,000. Bought by a US-based collector.
- Q3 2020: Private negotiation, US collector → European collector at $54,000.
- Q1 2022: Private negotiation, EU collector → Middle-Eastern crypto-adjacent collector at $102,000.
- Q3 2023: Private negotiation, ME collector → Asian collector at $148,000.
- Q1 2024: Private negotiation, Asian collector → US-based crypto collector at $180,000.
- July 2026 (this transaction): $260,000. Buyer identity not disclosed. Sale appreciation from 2019 opening: +828%.
Pattern lottery record context
The $260,000 sale sets the new non-knife pattern lottery record. Comparison to prior records:
- Prior non-knife record — AK-47 Wild Lotus FN (2025): $138,000 for a specific Wild Lotus FN with celebrity-tier float.
- All-time pattern lottery record (knife tier) — Karambit Marble Fade Fire and Ice FN (2024): $410,000 — remains the all-time record.
- Karambit Fade 100% pattern lottery record (2023): $380,000 — second-highest all-time.
- AK-47 Blue Gem #661 (previous 2024 sale): $180,000 — the reference point for the current transaction's +44% appreciation.
Market response
Skinport's tier-1 pattern lottery desk (source close to Skinport):
"The $260K Blue Gem #661 sale reflects the broader pattern-lottery market compression. The 44% appreciation from Q1 2024 to Q3 2026 tracks with the 42% Case Hardened family appreciation over the same window. Blue Gem #661 specifically maintains its celebrity-tier position — but the general Case Hardened market has moved with it. The sale is on-pattern, not anomalous."
What this signals for the pattern lottery market
- High-tier pattern positioning: Institutional collector demand sustains at record levels. The Q3 2026 crypto market conditions (BTC stable $65K-85K) support high-tier asset movement.
- Skinport public listings vs private negotiations: Private negotiations dominate at the >$150K tier. Skinport public listings peaked $76K (Karambit Fade 99.6% earlier this month) — the +$150K tier prefers privacy.
- Buyer geography shift: Historic buyer geography moved from US (2019-2021) → ME (2022) → Asia (2023) → US (2024) → undisclosed (2026). The rotation reflects wealth-flow patterns in crypto-adjacent collector markets.
- Case Hardened family YTD: +32% weighted average for FN Case Hardened AK-47 across all patterns. Blue Gem #661 outperforms family average by +12% points due to celebrity-tier premium sustaining.
The AK-47 pattern lottery landscape 2026
Current known highest-tier AK-47 Case Hardened pattern positions (public knowledge):
- #661 (Blue Gem, celebrity tier) — just sold $260K
- #387 (high blue coverage) — last known transaction $178K (2025)
- #219 (high blue coverage) — last known transaction $164K (2025)
- #151 (Scar tier — high blue with distinctive scar mark) — private, last estimated value $195K
- #555 (high blue coverage, no scar) — last known transaction $142K (2024)
