Understanding Steam Gems
Last updated: December 2024 • 10 min read
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 You'll Learn
- • What Are Gems - Understanding the gem system
- • Converting Items to Gems - Which items to convert
- • Crafting Booster Packs - How to use gems effectively
- • Gem Value Calculations - Profitability analysis
- • Trading Gem Sacks - Buying and selling gems
- • Optimal Gem Strategies - Maximizing your returns
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, and profile items can be converted into gems. Each item has a fixed gem value ranging from 10 to 1,200+ gems.
2. Accumulate Gems
Gems go into your account inventory. You can hold unlimited gems and they never expire. Gems can be packaged into "sacks" of 1,000 for trading or market selling.
3. Craft Booster Packs
Use gems to craft booster packs for games you own. Each game's booster pack costs a different amount of gems (typically 400-1,200 gems). You get 3 random cards from that game.
4. Trade or Sell Gem Sacks
Package your gems into 1,000-gem sacks to sell on the Steam Market or trade with other users. Sack prices fluctuate between $0.40-0.65 typically.
Converting Items to Gems
Not all items are worth converting to gems. Understanding conversion values helps you make smart decisions about which items to convert versus sell on the market.
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.
What Should You Convert to Gems?
✅ Good Candidates for Conversion:
- • $0.03-0.04 Items: Converting often yields better value than selling (after market fees, you get $0.01-0.02)
- • Duplicate Items: Extra copies of backgrounds or emoticons you already have
- • Unsellable Items: Items sitting on market for weeks with no buyers
- • 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 at this price point
- • Rare/Limited Items: Event backgrounds and emoticons may increase in value over time
- • Items You Like: Keep items you enjoy for personal profile use
- • Trending Items: Check price history - if 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. This is useful for completing badge sets or getting foil cards.
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 booster packs for games you own and have already received all card drops from. The list shows gem cost for each game.
- 3. Select a Game:
Choose a game and see how many gems it costs. Costs range from 400 gems (cheap cards) to 1,500+ gems (expensive cards).
- 4. Craft the Pack:
Click "Craft Booster Pack" - gems are consumed and you receive 3 random cards (with small foil chance) from that game.
Gem Costs by Game Type
Budget Games (400-600 gems)
Older games with cheap cards. Cards typically worth $0.03-0.05. Often profitable if you need specific cards.
Standard Games (600-900 gems)
Most popular games fall here. Cards worth $0.06-0.12. Break-even to slightly profitable depending on luck.
Premium Games (900-1,200 gems)
New or premium games with expensive cards. Cards worth $0.15-0.30. Can be profitable if you pull foils.
Expensive Games (1,200+ gems)
Games with very valuable cards. Cards worth $0.40+. High risk/high reward - can lose or gain significantly.
Strategic Booster Pack Crafting 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 (less competition for gem crafting)
- • Remember: 10% chance for foil cards in booster packs
- • Calculate break-even: If 3 cards worth $0.12 each = $0.36, and gem sack costs $0.50/1000 gems, you need less than 720 gems to profit
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
Current Market Range (varies)
- • 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)
Selling Gem Sacks
After Steam's 15% fee, you net about $0.38-0.47 per sack (if selling at $0.45-0.55). This means 1 gem ≈ $0.00038-0.00047 to you.
Buying Gem Sacks
If crafting booster packs, buying gem sacks during off-season ($0.40-0.45) gives you best value. 1 gem costs you about $0.0004-0.00045.
Profitability Decision Tree
Should You Convert This Item to Gems?
Step 1: Check item's market value
Step 2: Check item's gem value (hover over item in inventory)
Step 3: Calculate gem monetary value: (gems × $0.00045)
Step 4: Compare to market value after fees: (market price × 0.85)
Decision: If gem value > market value after fees, convert to gems
Example Calculation:
Item: 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?
Step 1: Check booster pack gem cost
Step 2: Check average card value for that game on market
Step 3: Expected value: (avg card value × 3)
Step 4: Gem cost in dollars: (gems ÷ 1000 × gem sack price)
Decision: If expected value > gem cost, craft the pack
Example Calculation:
Game: 600 gem cost, cards average $0.10 each
Expected value: $0.10 × 3 = $0.30
Gem cost: 600 ÷ 1000 × $0.50 = $0.30
Result: Break-even (craft if you need the cards)
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 listings at $0.50+
- Bulk Purchasing: Buy 10-20 sacks at once when prices dip to save significantly
- 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 or pack them into sacks.
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) or craft packs for games with expensive cards.
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. This prevents people from crafting packs for games they've never played.
Calculate Your Booster Pack Income
See how many booster packs you'll get naturally from drops and plan your gem crafting strategy.
Booster Pack Calculator