M9 Bayonet Case Hardened: blue gem pattern guide
The M9's blue-gem story is scarcity maths: pattern #601 covers about 92% of the playside in clean blue, only around 13 are known to exist, and not a single one is Factory New. The best-float example (0.096) sold for $68,315, and Well-Worn copies list north of $40k. Tier 1 is a two-seed club.
HOW THE PATTERN WORKS
Case Hardened is one big mottled texture of blue, purple and gold patina; the pattern index (0-1000) rolled when the item drops picks which slice of it lands on the model. Blue occupies the smallest share of that texture, so a seed that lands heavy blue on the side you actually see - the playside - is the rare one. The blue never fades with wear: float adds scratches and darkens the golds, but a blue gem stays blue even Battle-Scarred.
Pattern tiers (playside blue)
TIER 1
601, 417
TIER 2
58, 349, 403, 406, 503, 523
The Steam guide's rank-2 also includes 150, 239, 585, 634, 675, 897.
TIER 3
59, 107, 113, 150, 202, 224, 239, 281, 345, 346, 430, 449, 585, 610, 698, 715, 750, 837, 897, 915, 959
GOLD
739, 787, 471
On a blade this big, some blue specks are unavoidable even on the best golds.
WHAT COUNTS ON THIS ITEM
Playside blue sets the tier on the big M9 blade; the guide community is explicit that the backside counts "not as much as playside" - it nudges price, never tier.
OBLIGATORY PLUG
Thirteen #601s on the planet and none of them are yours. Statistically none of ours will be either, but our M9 draws do print the seed on the page first - which beats a $68k invoice. Browse the draws ->
Knowledge base: Steam guide: M9 Bayonet Case Hardened patterns · csgoskins.gg seed database
