The Most Iconic Counter Strike Skins in Competitive Gaming History
Counter Strike skins play a pivotal part of the entire gaming experience. While they’re purely cosmetic and don’t impact gameplay in any kind of way, for many players, they’re more important than the matches themselves. Why? Because some of the skins in question lets you stand out among the competition. Some players even go out of their way to find skins used by pro players from ESL teams. If you’re idolising those players, you’ll want to at least be able to wear the same skins they do. We’ll be going over the most iconic skins in competitive history and why they’ve become so popular!
AWP | Dragon Lore
- Rarity: Covert (Classified)
- Collection: Cobblestone Collection
The AWP Dragon Lore is arguably the most iconic skin in CS:GO history. Everyone has heard of this skin, even those who have never played Counter Strike! The skin was introduced in the Operation Breakout update to the game on July 1st, 2013 and when added it started the trend of high value skins. Skins like the AWP Dragon Lore gained popularity and cult status fast and became the skin favorite of pro players like KennyS, s1pmle, and GuardiaN who were donned the skin in many majors.
Players now in CS2 feel divided as many felt the skin should not be worn, and treated like a long term investment. Many others idolised pro players who didn’t care about the intrinsic value of the skin and used it in matches, but keep in mind, the cheapest CS2 AWP skin you can get can be around a few grand!
Want your own AWP | Dragon Lore? Try your lucky by opening The One case on CSGORoll!
AK-47 | Fire Serpent
- Rarity: Covert
- Bravo Collection
The AK-47 Fire Serpent is another famous CS2 skin, striking with its tribal artwork of a green serpent which set it apart from modern AK skins. The skin gained massive popularity among professional players and collectors due to its rarity and prestige.
Pro CS2 players like coldzera and shroud used the Fire Serpent in many of their competitive matches , especially since the skin when used, in Battle-Scarred condition, looked gritty and cool. The Fire Serpent continues to demand high prices, thanks part to it being used in competitive play, but also since its come out of one of the most famous CS:GP collections - Bravo Cases.
Try win the AK-47 | Fire Serpent skin by opening the AK-47 case on CSGORoll.
M4A4 | Howl
- Rarity: Contraband (Extremely Rare)
- Collection: Removed from official cases
The M4A4 Howl is the only contraband skin in Counter Strike history! Meaning that it is no longer obtainable through the normal means of opening cases. It was original part of a regular collection, but the skin was removed after the creator of the artwork filed a copyright order against Valve. Long story short, the skin was reclassified by Valve as Contraband and removed from loot pools, making it instantly one of the rarest skins in the game.
The skin has been used by pro players like Stewie2K, Niko, and s1mple, making the skin even more iconic, especially since Factory New and unused versions sell in the five figure range! Having a M4A4 Howl skin in your inventory is truly a status symbol within the CS2 community.
Want a M4A4 | Howl? Open and win it in the Hot And Cold case on CSGORoll!
Karambit | Doppler (Sapphire/Ruby)
- Rarity: Covert (Rare pattern)
The Karambit Doppler (Sapphire and Ruby) is one of the rarest and most expensive knife skins available on CS2. Karambit skins have always held value and are among the most desirable of knife types. The Sapphire variant has a pure deep blue color, whilst the Ruby variant has a vibrant blood red hue to it.
These CS2 skins have been commonly used by pro players, like shroud, ScreaM, and s1mple. For a Factory New version, you can see these rich the mid five figure range, making this knife the ultimate flex within CS players.
Try and win your own Ruby Karambit in the Business case, only on CSGORoll!
These skins are more than just cosmetic extras, they represent history, prestige, and legendary moments within competitive Counter Strike gameplay.