There are hundreds of weapon skins in Riot Games’ first-person shooter, VALORANT. Not all weapon skins are created equal, with some being much more expensive and only available via a ton of VALORANT Points (VP). Other VALORANT weapon skins are seen as rare collector’s items, as they are no longer officially available. Let’s jump in and discuss the most expensive VALORANT skins, taking VP cost and rarity into consideration.
Please note: It is not advisable to trade VALORANT accounts. Riot Games can and will ban those who buy or sell VALORANT accounts with rare skins for profit. To this end, our list of the most expensive VALORANT skins does take rarity into account, but we won’t state the estimated real money value.
10 Of The Most Expensive VALORANT Skins
Arcane Sheriff
To celebrate the animated steampunk series on Netflix, Riot Games unleashed the Arcane Sheriff. It is the rarest VALORANT skin, as it was only available for purchase (2,377 VP) from Nov. 5-22, 2021. The hand cannon features a slick trigger animation based on the weapon Jinx used in the show’s first season.
There’s a good chance the Arcane Sheriff will never become available via the in-game store again. However, we may see a new weapon skin release with Arcane Season 2 in November 2024, which is an exciting reason to have some VP ready.
Champions 2021 Karambit
With a unique animation, the Champion’s Aura effect, and a golden blade finish, the Champions 2021 Karambit is arguably the most sought-after melee skin in VALORANT. It was only available from Nov. 24 to Dec. 12, 2021, as part of the Champions 2021 Collection. The skin sold for 5,350 VP and will never return to the store or Night Market.
Champions 2021 Vandal
Few VALORANT skins stand out as much as the Champions 2021 Vandal, also part of the Champions 2021 Collection. With its fantastic graphic design, as well as its inspect and kill effect animations and Champion’s Aura, this skin shines brightly. Players could buy it from Nov. 24 to Dec. 12, 2021, for 2,675 VP.
WayFinder Shorty
The WayFinder Shorty features a stunning cartography design with a black, gold, and white color scheme. Due to its limited and exclusive nature, it is one of the rarest weapon skins in VALORANT. To get this skin, players had to link their Amazon Prime account to their Twitch account in January or February 2022. There is no official way to get this exceptionally rare weapon skin.
VCT LOCK//IN Misericórdia
In celebration of the VCT LOCK//IN São Paulo event, the VCT LOCK//IN Misericórdia melee weapon skin (Cut knife) was only available from Feb. 8 to March 7, 2023, for 5,440 VP. It is an exclusive melee skin with three variants—EMEA, Pacific, and Americas—and a unique animation and Champion’s Aura.
Elderflame Collection
As one of only a few Ultra Edition skin collections, Elderflame’s brilliant dragon scale design is iconic and rare. Items from the collection can appear in a player’s daily Featured Store Offers, but they are not cheap. The Frenzy, Judge, Vandal, and Operator costs 2,475 VP each, and the coveted Elderflame Dagger costs 4,950 VP. Weapon skins in the Elderflame collection are upgradeable as the gun barrels come to life with flame animations.
Protocol 781-A Collection
First released with Episode 04 Act 1 on Jan. 11, 2022, the Protocol 781-A Collection is the second Ultra Edition skin collection. It features beautiful, robotic-like skins for popular guns, including Sheriff, Spectre, Bulldog, and Phantom, which cost 2,475 VP each if you are lucky enough to spot one in your daily Featured Store Offers.
The Personal Administrative Melee Unit costs 4,950. If three different color scheme variants and distinct animations aren’t enough, weapon skins from the Protocol 781-A Collection start talking to the player once upgraded sufficiently.
Champions 2022 Butterfly Knife
VALORANT esports fans could purchase the Champions 2022 Butterfly Knife for 5,350 VP from Aug. 23 to Sept. 21, 2022. It is one of the most sought-after melee skins in VALORANT, with the Champion’s Aura at Upgrade Level 3 and a golden animation that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Champions 2022 Phantom
The Champions 2022 Phantom was only available to purchase (2,675 VP) from Aug. 23 to Sept. 21, 2022, to celebrate the VALORANT Champions 2022 event. Like the Butterfly Knife, this particular skin features a Champion’s Aura. The incredible design allows the weapon to change colors as a player racks up more kills in a game.
Ignite Fan
On July 12, 2023, VALORANT was officially released in China. Riot Games released a melee weapon skin in the form of a Chinese hand fan to celebrate. The Ignite fan, which comes in two variants (gold and purple), was exclusive to the region before becoming available worldwide.
On release, the Ignite Collection cost 4,710 VP, and players could only get the Ignite Fan by purchasing the entire bundle. This skin will likely never appear in the in-game store, making it a very rare weapon skin to own.
High-Value VALORANT Weapon Skins: Honorable Mentions
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the better-looking someone thinks a specific VALORANT weapon skin or collection is, the higher value they will instinctively assign to it.
There are hundreds of VALORANT skins, each with its charm and appeal. For example, some believe the latest Ultra Edition offering, Radiant Entertainment System Collection, is too busy and bright, while others love it and would spend the asking price of 11,900 VP.
Several weapon skin collections below deserve a mention despite not being the most expensive VALORANT cosmetics possible. They are primarily from early Battle Passes, adding to their rarity level. Each collection features either four or five skins.
- Champions 2023 Vandal
- Champions 2023 Kunai
- .EXE Collection
- Ruination Collection
- Kingdom Collection
- ChronoVoid Collection
- GlitchPoP Collection
- Mystbloom Collection
- Kuronami Collection
- Sentinels of Light Collection
- Spectrum Collection
- Hivemind Collection
- Polyfox Collection
- Aerosol Collection
- Sakura Collection
VALORANT skins are not pay-to-win, providing no gameplay advantage. Even with the most expensive skins equipped, your bullets won’t do more damage than that of a default skin.
Are you a fan of these pricy skins or the cosmetics in general? We get it! If you want to discover how much you’ve spent on VALORANT over the years, check out our dedicated guide to learn more. We also provided information for those instances when you want to request a refund.
Remember to check out our VALORANT betting odds on Thunderpick!
Always practice Responsible Gambling and check out our latest promo offers and boosts. T&Cs apply. 18+ to play.