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I'm really new to trading. People make offers and ask something in return. Sometimes they ask for 5.66 ref, or 1.33, or 0.66, or 0.55, or 2.66

What do they all mean? I understand it is for metal but a metal cannot be 0.66 so where's the catch? Is there a system to understand?

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6 Answers 6

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3 reclaimed metal combines to 1 refined metal.

So, 2.66 refined metal means: 2 refined metal + 2 reclaimed metal.

9 scrap metal combines to 3 reclaimed metal, which combines to 1 refined metal.

So 0.55 refined metal = 5 scrap metal or 1 reclaimed and 2 scrap.

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Refined metal is sort of the "dollar" when it comes to TF2 trading, so whole numbers indicate an amount of refined.

The rest breaks down in the way that the crafting system works:

  • Reclaimed metal can be turned into refined at a ratio of 3 reclaimed : 1 refined, therefore it is worth .33 refined.
  • Scrap metal can be turned into reclaimed metal at a ratio of 3 scrap : 1 reclaimed, therefore it is worth .11 refined.

In this way, you can make "fractional" refined metal by offering reclaimed or scrap metal.

Keys are frequently used as currency as well, although it tends to fluctuate enough that I'm not comfortable saying a key is worth X refined here. There's a "Key Market" thread on the Steam Forums that may be of interest, however.

Since prices fluctuate frequently, make sure you're price checking before you make a trade so that you can be certain you're not getting ripped off. You can look for similar trades on the trade forum or use a third-party price checking site if you so desire, but make sure you're getting reliable information.

Since you're admittedly new to trading, you should make sure you review the Trade FAQ and the Steam Trading Policy. Both contain important information about what your rights are, and common scams that people run afoul of.

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As a side note, if you get into unusual trading or any more expensive items, the numbers can also mean:

  • pure (in Mann Co. Supply Crate keys)
  • pure (in Earbuds)

So someone asking for 1.50 pure on his unusual hat may not be asking for refined metal but asking for 1.5 in earbuds (roughly 1 earbud, 10 keys)

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  • 2
    Looking at the prices of Buds back then to the prices now...
    – The Man
    Commented Feb 18, 2015 at 13:00
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  • 0.33 represents a third of 1 refined (ref), which is 1 reclaimed (rec).
  • 0.11 represents a third of 1 rec or a ninth of 1 ref, which is 1 scrap.
  • 0.44 would correspond to 1 rec and 1 scrap together.
  • 1.66 would correspond to 1 ref and 2 rec.

All the other answers have covered this better than I have, but they're forgetting some things.

  • Sometimes there will be numbers such as 0.27 ref. Notice how this one is exactly halfway between two and three scrap. Because you can smelt any two weapons to make a scrap, this would amount to 2 scrap and a standard weapon. (A single weapon would be 0.05 ref.)
  • Sometimes there will even be numbers that aren't even directly halfway between scraps. This usually tends to be the case for prices on painted cosmetics or Strange weapons with parts added to them (occasionally) when their price is displayed on inventory viewers such as backpack.tf or trade.tf.
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1 Refined Metal = 1.00

1 Reclaimed Metal = 0.33

1 scrap = 0.11

Add them all together = 1.44 ref

1 Key equal to:17.66 Ref also equal:17 Refined Metal and 2 Reclaimed Metal

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To make a simple answer

3 reclaimed = 1 Refined

0.33 ref = 1 Reclaimed

and 0.11 ref = 1 Scrap

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