CS2 Service Medals: Trade Value & Year-by-Year Guide
Service medals are a quietly underappreciated CS2 collectible — they're displayed publicly on your Steam profile, they trade on the open market, and the older ones can sell for thousands of dollars. This guide explains what they are, how to earn them, and which years' medals are most valuable.
What service medals are
A service medal is a yearly profile badge awarded for grinding XP. Each calendar year Valve releases a fresh medal design; you can earn that year's medal up to 5 times by maxing out your CS2 profile rank repeatedly. The medal then permanently shows on your profile next to the year, with stars indicating how many times you earned it.
How to earn one
- Reach Profile Rank 40 (the maximum) within the calendar year.
- Choose to convert your max-rank progress into a service medal in your CS2 profile UI.
- Repeat up to 4 more times that year for stars on the medal (max 5 stars).
- Each conversion drops one medal item into your inventory.
For most players, hitting Profile Rank 40 takes about 100–150 hours of active play. Dedicated players can earn the maximum 5 medals in a year.
Are service medals tradable?
Yes — but only after the year ends. The medal you earn in 2026 won't be tradable until January 1, 2027. Once tradable, it behaves like any other CS2 item: subject to Steam's standard 7-day trade hold after each transfer, listable on the Steam Market, swappable on trade-bot sites.
Year-by-year medal list and approximate values
Both CS:GO-era and CS2-era medals are tradable. Older ones command more because supply is fixed and the years can't be re-earned. Approximate market prices for 5-star (max) versions:
| Year | Era | Medal name (5-star) | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | CS:GO | 2015 Service Medal | $300 – $800 |
| 2016 | CS:GO | 2016 Service Medal | $200 – $500 |
| 2017 | CS:GO | 2017 Service Medal | $150 – $400 |
| 2018 | CS:GO | 2018 Service Medal | $80 – $250 |
| 2019 | CS:GO | 2019 Service Medal | $50 – $180 |
| 2020 | CS:GO | 2020 Service Medal | $40 – $150 |
| 2021 | CS:GO | 2021 Service Medal | $30 – $120 |
| 2022 | CS:GO | 2022 Service Medal | $25 – $100 |
| 2023 | CS:GO/CS2 | 2023 Service Medal | $20 – $80 |
| 2024 | CS2 | 2024 Service Medal | $15 – $60 |
| 2025 | CS2 | 2025 Service Medal | $10 – $40 |
Star count matters a lot: a 1-star 2015 medal is much cheaper than a 5-star one because earning all 5 in a year shows commitment most players didn't have.
Why service medals appreciate
- Fixed supply. The 2017 medal can never be earned again. As accounts go inactive (banned, abandoned, deleted), supply slowly shrinks.
- Display value. Service medals are publicly visible on your Steam profile — that visibility makes them collectible the same way old tournament holos are collectible.
- Era nostalgia. CS:GO-era medals (especially 2015) reference a "before CS2" era that newer players will never directly experience.
Are service medals a good investment?
Comparable to old sticker capsules in trajectory but with a few important differences:
- Pro: can't be applied/destroyed like stickers, so supply only shrinks via account bans/deletions.
- Pro: publicly displayed, so demand from "showing off" is sustained.
- Con: demand pool is smaller than sticker buyers (more niche collectible).
- Con: Valve could theoretically re-release older designs (unlikely, but not impossible).
Average annual appreciation for 2015–2018 medals has been roughly 15–25% since 2020. Consistent but not explosive.
How to buy one efficiently
- Steam Market — straightforward but pays the 13–15% market fee.
- Trade-bot sites (Hostadz, Tradeit, etc.) — usually slightly cheaper net than Steam Market because the bot prices closer to BUFF.
- BUFF163 — cheapest if you can navigate the Chinese market.
Service medals are usually held in inventory rather than the Hostadz bot — but you can trade YOUR service medals through Hostadz at standard market value. Open /trade and your medals will appear in your inventory list automatically.
Related: CS2 sticker pricing · Charms vs stickers