Understanding Steam Gems: Complete Crafting & Conversion Guide
Table of Contents
Steam Gems are a currency within the Steam ecosystem used to craft booster packs. You can convert unwanted items (cards, backgrounds, emoticons) into gems, then use those gems to create booster packs for games you want. Understanding the gem economy helps you maximize value from duplicate items and target specific cards efficiently.
What Are Steam Gems?
Gems are a special currency introduced during the 2014 Holiday Sale. They serve as an alternative to waiting for random booster pack drops - you can craft specific booster packs using gems instead of hoping for the right game to drop naturally.
How the Gem System Works:
1. Convert items to gems: Trading cards, emoticons, backgrounds can be converted. Each item has a fixed gem value (10 to 1,200+ gems)
2. Accumulate gems: Gems go into your account inventory, never expire, can hold unlimited gems
3. Craft booster packs: Use gems to craft booster packs for games you own (400-1,200 gems typically, get 3 random cards)
4. Trade or sell gem sacks: Package gems into 1,000-gem sacks to sell on market or trade (prices fluctuate $0.40-0.65)
Gems provide a way to convert unwanted items into specific cards you need, rather than selling on market or hoping for random drops.
Converting Items to Gems
Not all items are worth converting to gems. Understanding conversion values helps you make smart decisions.
Typical Gem Conversion Values:
Common Trading Cards: 80-120 gems each
Foil Trading Cards: 800-1,200 gems each
Emoticons: 10-100 gems each
Profile Backgrounds: 100-1,000 gems each
Animated Backgrounds: 400-1,200 gems each
Rare Event Items: Up to 2,000+ gems
Note: Conversion is permanent - you cannot convert gems back into items. Always check market value before converting.
Good Candidates for Conversion:
$0.03-0.04 Items: Converting often yields better value than selling
Duplicate Items: Extra copies you already have
Unsellable Items: Items sitting on market for weeks
High Gem Value Items: Items worth 800+ gems that sell for under $0.10
Bad Candidates for Conversion:
Items Worth $0.10+: Market value usually exceeds gem value
Rare/Limited Items: May increase in value over time
Items You Like: Keep for personal profile use
Trending Items: If price is trending up, wait to sell
Crafting Booster Packs with Gems
Once you have enough gems, you can craft booster packs for games you own and have already received all card drops from.
How to Craft Booster Packs:
1. Navigate to Booster Pack Creator: Steam Client → Your Profile → Badges → "How do I earn more cards?" → Craft Booster Packs
2. Check Eligible Games: You can only craft for games you own with no remaining drops
3. Select a Game: Choose a game and see the gem cost (400-1,500+ gems)
4. Craft the Pack: Click "Craft Booster Pack" - gems consumed, receive 3 random cards
Gem Costs by Game Type:
Budget Games (400-600 gems): Cards worth $0.03-0.05, often profitable
Standard Games (600-900 gems): Cards worth $0.06-0.12, break-even to slightly profitable
Premium Games (900-1,200 gems): Cards worth $0.15-0.30, can be profitable with foils
Expensive Games (1,200+ gems): Cards worth $0.40+, high risk/high reward
Strategic Tips:
Check market prices before crafting - sometimes buying cards directly is cheaper
Target games where you need 1-2 cards to complete a set
Craft during sales when card prices are lower
Remember: 10% chance for foil cards in booster packs
Calculate break-even: Compare expected card value to gem cost
Gem Value & Profitability Calculations
Understanding the actual monetary value of gems helps you decide whether to convert items, craft packs, or sell gem sacks.
Gem Sack Market Value:
Typical Price: $0.45-0.55 per 1,000 gems
During Sales: $0.60-0.70 (high demand for crafting)
Off-Season: $0.40-0.45 (low demand)
After Steam's 15% fee, you net about $0.38-0.47 per sack. This means 1 gem ≈ $0.00038-0.00047 to you.
**Should You Convert This Item to Gems?** 1. Check item's market value 2. Check item's gem value (hover over item in inventory) 3. Calculate gem monetary value: (gems × $0.00045) 4. Compare to market value after fees: (market price × 0.85) 5. Decision: If gem value > market value after fees, convert
Example: Background selling for $0.05 with 120 gem value
Market value after fees: $0.05 × 0.85 = $0.0425
Gem value: 120 × $0.00045 = $0.054
Result: Convert to gems (better value!)
**Should You Craft This Booster Pack?** 1. Check booster pack gem cost 2. Check average card value for that game 3. Expected value: (avg card value × 3) 4. Gem cost in dollars: (gems ÷ 1000 × gem sack price) 5. Decision: If expected value > gem cost, craft the pack
Trading & Buying Gem Sacks
If you need large quantities of gems for crafting, buying gem sacks from the market is often more efficient than converting your own items.
Gem Sack Trading Tips:
Best Time to Buy: September-November (off-season, lowest prices)
Worst Time to Buy: During Winter/Summer Sales (high demand, 30-40% markup)
Use Buy Orders: Place buy orders at $0.42-0.45 instead of buying at $0.50+
Bulk Purchasing: Buy 10-20 sacks at once when prices dip
Unpack Immediately: Unpacking sacks into gems prevents accidental sale
Optimal Gem Strategy for Different Users:
Casual Badge Crafters:
Convert duplicate items to gems. Save gems for completing badge sets (3-5 specific cards). Don't craft random boosters.
Leveling Enthusiasts:
Sell gem sacks for Steam Wallet funds. Use funds to buy complete badge sets from bots. More efficient than crafting.
Traders/Profit Seekers:
Buy gem sacks when cheap ($0.40-0.43), craft booster packs for expensive games, sell valuable pulls. Risky but potentially profitable.
Collectors:
Use gems to craft booster packs for rare/delisted games where cards are expensive or unavailable on market.
Common Questions
**Can I convert gems back into items?** No, gem conversion is permanent. Once you convert an item to gems, you cannot reverse the process. Always double-check before converting valuable items.
**Do gems expire or have a limit?** No, gems never expire and you can accumulate unlimited gems. They remain in your inventory indefinitely until you use them.
**Is crafting booster packs with gems profitable?** Usually break-even or slight loss for most games. The main benefit is targeting specific games you need cards from. Profit is possible if you pull foil cards (10% chance).
**Can I craft booster packs for games I don't own?** No, you can only craft booster packs for games you own and have already received all normal card drops from.
Conclusion
Steam Gems provide a flexible way to manage your inventory of duplicate items and target specific trading cards you need. While gem crafting isn't always profitable, understanding the gem economy helps you extract maximum value from items you'd otherwise delete or leave unsold.
The key is knowing when to convert (low-value duplicates), when to sell (valuable items), and when to craft (when you need specific cards). With smart gem management, you can complete badge sets more efficiently while monetizing items you don't need.
Calculate your booster pack income potential with our [Booster Pack Calculator](/calculator/booster)!