What Do Factory New, Minimal Wear, and Field-Tested Mean in CS2?

Factory New, Minimal Wear, and Field-Tested are the three most traded CS2 wear tiers, each tied to a specific float range that dictates how clean a skin looks and how much buyers will pay. Valve automatically assigns a float (0.00–1.00) when the skin drops, and that float determines the tier label you see on Steam or community marketplaces. Understanding how the tiers differ is the fastest way to avoid overpaying for tiny visual upgrades—or to capitalize on underpriced listings.

Wear tiers and float ranges side-by-side

Tier	Float Range	Visual traits	Typical premium vs next tier	Example price (Nov 2025)
Factory New (FN)	0.00 – 0.07	Fresh paint, zero edge fading, crisp stickers	+70–200% over MW	AWP Asiimov FN ~ $165
Minimal Wear (MW)	0.07 – 0.15	Barely visible scratches, sight edges stay bright	+10–25% over FT	M4A4 Temukau MW ~ $47
Field-Tested (FT)	0.15 – 0.38	Noticeable barrel wear, muted colors, stickers still decent	Baseline	AK-47 Redline Field-Tested ~ $18
Well-Worn (WW)	0.38 – 0.45	Heavy slide wear, darkened metals, art still readable	-15% vs FT	AK-47 Slate WW ~ $6
Battle-Scarred (BS)	0.45 – 1.00	Large patches missing, pattern distortions, grime	-30–70% vs FT	M4A1-S Golden Coil BS ~ $14

Not every skin spawns across all five tiers. Doppler knives, for instance, only drop between Factory New and Minimal Wear. Meanwhile, the AK-47 Redline stretches all the way to Battle-Scarred, which is why you see massive visual differences inside the same listing page.

Why Valve uses wear tiers at all

Valve introduced wear tiers in CS:GO to give skins a sense of life and scarcity without degrading them through gameplay. Tiers provide three benefits:

1. Playability: Even Battle-Scarred versions can still look cool or unique, so new players always have cheaper entry points.
2. Economy: Traders can price discriminate. Someone wanting a showcase inventory will pay more for FN; someone chasing value will sit in FT.
3. Consistency: Because float never changes, collectors can chase specific “perfect” floats (e.g., 0.000X) that keep market history reliable.

How to check a skin’s tier and float

1. Steam Market listing: Hover over the item—in the tooltip you’ll see "Exterior: Minimal Wear" and a tiny preview. This is useful but doesn’t expose the full float.
2. Inspect in-game: Right-click → "Inspect in Game" to see the precise decimal. This matters if you’re aiming for borderline floats like 0.149 (counts as FT but looks MW).
3. Community marketplaces: Sites like CSFloat, Buff, and Skinport display both the tier and float. They also show percentile rankings so you can compare two Field-Tested copies instantly.
4. Use our tools: The Price Checker Tool accepts the skin name, pulls the float and current price, and renders a simple “Buy / Hold / Sell” verdict based on trends in our database. Pair it with the Top Rising Skins page to see which tiers are tightening.

How the tiers change a skin’s look

Factory New

• Who it’s for: Showcase collectors, streamers, anyone building expensive themed loadouts.
• What it looks like: No wear, full shine, and stickers look like they were just applied.
• When to buy: When price gaps vs. MW shrink under ~60% (rare promotions or market dips). It’s also smart when the skin has lots of reflective surfaces (e.g., Printstream, Doppler).

Minimal Wear

• Who it’s for: Players who want almost-FN visuals while keeping budgets sane.
• Look: Minor scratches on high-contact edges like barrels or mags. Most people can’t tell MW from FN mid-match.
• When to buy: When you need skins that stay photogenic for sticker crafts. If you’re planning a gold-themed loadout, MW is the default recommendation because the finish still glows.

Field-Tested

• Who it’s for: Budget players, people chasing good floats for less (like 0.16 FT), and traders flipping volume.
• Look: Distinct wear on barrels and muzzles, colors less saturated. Certain skins (Redline, Slate, Orbit MK01) still look great in FT because the base pattern is dark.
• When to buy: During high-supply windows like case drops or seasonal sales. FT prices fluctuate the least, so you can stash extra copies for small swings.

Well-Worn & Battle-Scarred

• Who they’re for: Niche collectors, people who like “grungy” aesthetics, or folks building sticker canvases.
• Look: Heavy scratches, sometimes entire areas fade away. Some skins (Asiimov, The Empress) get darker scopes/body, which certain players prefer.
• When to buy: When you want extreme contrast for holo stickers or when BS versions dip below 30% of FT pricing—at that point they become perfect trade-up fodder.

Matching tiers to your budget

Budget goal	Recommended tier	Why it works	Example combo
Under $50 per skin	Field-Tested or low Well-Worn	Liquidity + tons of supply keep prices predictable	AK-47 Redline FT + M4A1-S Night Terror FT
$50–$120 per skin	Minimal Wear (with low float)	Looks clean on stream, great for sticker crafts	AWP Chromatic Aberration MW + gloves
$120+ showcase	Factory New	Flex inventory value, maximize resale	AK-47 Ice Coaled FN + Desert Eagle Printstream FN

If you need to build a full themed setup, plug these picks into the Loadout Calculator. It will total the cost, show the combined historical trend, and keep your spend in check.

Buyer strategy: squeezing more from each tier

1. Set float filters before browsing. On CSFloat, toggle "Advanced" and set 0.00–0.15 for MW or 0.15–0.20 for low FT. This stops you from paying MW prices for mid-tier floats.
2. Watch for tier overlap. Some Field-Tested skins can roll floats as low as 0.15, which look identical to high-end MW. These "fake MW" copies usually sell for 30–40% less.
3. Check supply spikes. When Valve drops a new case, early sellers list FN/MW at panic prices. Track the Top Rising Skins page to know which tiers are tightening again and buy before the rebound.
4. Leverage sticker crafts. If you plan to spend $25 on foil stickers, channel that budget toward a better wear tier first. Clean canvases make stickers pop, meaning you get more visual impact with cheaper decals.
5. Use currency swings. If your local currency strengthens against USD, grab FN/MW copies immediately. Those savings disappear fast once arbitrage traders notice.
6. Time-of-day sniping. Low-float FN/MW listings often appear at odd hours. Run quick searches before work or late night to catch underpriced gems.

Seller strategy: pricing and presentation by tier

1. Lead with the float decimal. Title your listing “AK-47 Ice Coaled 0.066 FN” so buyers immediately know it’s top tier.
2. Stage screenshots per tier. FN/MW sellers should show macro shots of spotless edges. FT/WW sellers should highlight sticker potential or unique wear patterns.
3. Use tier-relative comps. Compare your price only to the same tier. Quoting a FN sale while listing MW will backfire; instead, highlight how close your float is to the next tier up.
4. Offer bundles. Combine matching tiers (FN rifles with FN pistols) and total the value with the Loadout Calculator. Buyers planning a full look are willing to pay a premium.
5. Refresh listings after spikes. If the skin enters our Top Rising Skins dashboard, cancel and relist with updated pricing so you’re not leaving money on the table.
6. Disclose negatives. Mention any dark spots or sticker fade for FT/WW. Transparency builds trust, which translates into faster sales and better feedback.
7. Switch marketplaces based on tier. FN/MW thrives on collector-heavy sites like CSFloat, while FT/WW volume moves faster on Skinport or Buff where budgets are tighter.

Case studies: same skin, different tiers

AK-47 Redline

• FN 0.04: ~$42 on Steam, perfect for red holo crafts.
• MW 0.10: ~$26 and looks identical once stickers are applied.
• FT 0.20: ~$18 but still the go-to for budget loadouts.
• Takeaway: Unless you care about spotless barrels, MW holds the best value; FT is unbeatable if you plan to stack stickers.

AWP Asiimov

• FN: Extremely rare and expensive; collectors chase sub-0.05 floats.
• MW: ~$105 with bright orange plates.
• FT: ~$78 but loses vibrancy fast.
• WW: ~$65 where the shell darkens—streamers may prefer this to avoid glare.
• Takeaway: MW is the practical tier; WW is the secret budget pick if you like darker skins.

M4A1-S Golden Coil

• FN: ~$90 and keeps the gold filigree pristine.
• MW: ~$58 and still shines.
• FT: ~$32 with tolerable wear.
• BS: ~$14 but great for sticker experiments.
• Takeaway: MW offers the best mix of shine + affordability, while FT is a sticker-friendly canvas.

FAQ: wear tier myths

Do skins get more worn as you play matches? No. The tier and float are permanent from the moment the item drops.

Can trade-ups jump tiers? Yes. If your input skins average a float of 0.05, the output inherits that float (clamped to the new skin’s min/max). That’s how traders “force” FN copies of otherwise rare skins.

Is Minimal Wear always worth it over Field-Tested? Not always. On dark skins like AK Slate or M4A4 Neo-Noir, the difference between a 0.16 FT and a 0.07 MW is barely noticeable. Pay for MW only when the finish has bright whites or reflective paint.

Do gloves and knives follow the same ranges? Similar concept, but the ranges vary. Many knives only spawn FN/MW, so a “Field-Tested” knife might still be 0.20 float and look pristine.

Buy or sell verdict

• Buy: Minimal Wear when the premium is under 20% vs Field-Tested, factory new when the gap is under 60%, and low-Float FT (0.15–0.18) whenever you see them—they flip easily to style-focused beginners.
• Hold: Battle-Scarred variants of popular skins when spreads collapse; they often rebound after hype fades and collectors remember the unique patina.
• Sell: Extra FN copies during seasonal spikes (Majors, case releases) when whales rush to upgrade; reinvest the profits into two or three high-quality MW/FT skins.

Float tiers aren’t just labels—they’re pricing levers. Mastering how FN, MW, and FT behave will help you build a cleaner inventory, flip smarter, and avoid AdSense-style “thin” inventory mistakes in your own trade logs. Keep the Price Checker Tool open before every purchase, route buyers toward our Top Rising Skins when negotiating, and revisit the /cs2-skins-under-10 list for budget backups.

Check live price here → Price Checker Tool

Verdict: Buy the tier that fits your visual standard when the premium is reasonable, and Sell redundant FN copies first because they tie up capital that could fund entire loadouts.