Nova | Зыбучие пески

Origin Story

The Nova | Quick Sand, released as part of The 2021 Dust 2 Collection with Operation Riptide on September 22, 2021, features a tan and blue hydrographic pattern applied to the stock and receiver. The barrel is painted a contrasting dark blue. This color scheme gives the shotgun a distinct appearance, moving away from traditional camouflage or metallic finishes. Its in-game description notes the application of the hydrographic pattern and the dark blue barrel.

Drop Chance

Nova | Quick Sand is Mil-Spec, a Blue-tier skin, less common than base collection drops. It has appeared across 6 tournament packages, most recently the Rio 2022 Dust II Souvenir Package, Shanghai 2024 Dust II Souvenir Package, and Stockholm 2021 Dust II Souvenir Package.


Souvenir Packages are awarded to viewers watching live Major matches on the corresponding map, not opened from cases, so Valve doesn't publish per-skin drop odds. Each package contains one item from The 2021 Dust 2 Collection, with rarity tiers drawn on a weighted system that heavily favors common grades, meaning Mil-Spec skins like Quick Sand are a small fraction of total package contents. There are 3 other Mil-Spec skins in the collection competing for the same drop slot. New copies only enter the market when a recipient chooses to open their package, so supply trickles in over time even after the tournament ends.

Skin Condition

Float range 0 to 0.5. Exteriors: Factory New, Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, Battle-Scarred. StatTrak is not available for this skin.

• Factory New ($8.37): The desert camouflage pattern is fully intact and vibrant across the shotgun's body.
• Minimal Wear ($6.52): Minor scuffs appear on the edges of the receiver and pump, but the pattern remains clear.
• Field-Tested ($4.67): Visible wear and scratches begin to disrupt the camouflage pattern on the barrel and stock.
• Well-Worn ($4.85): Significant paint loss is present on high-contact areas, making the pattern appear faded and worn.
• Battle-Scarred ($11.44): The hydrographic finish is heavily degraded, with large areas of the underlying material exposed and the pattern barely discernible.

Model

Quick Sand uses the current Nova model, added with Operation Riptide on September 22, 2021.

How to Obtain

This souvenir skin was originally obtained from souvenir packages like the Antwerp 2022 Dust II Souvenir Package, Austin 2025 Dust II Souvenir Package, Budapest 2025 Dust II Souvenir Package, Rio 2022 Dust II Souvenir Package, Shanghai 2024 Dust II Souvenir Package, and Stockholm 2021 Dust II Souvenir Package, which were historically awarded to viewers during Major tournaments. New souvenir packages are no longer distributed. Today, players primarily acquire this skin by purchasing it directly from other players on the Steam Community Market, third-party marketplaces, or various skin trading sites.

Price Range

Nova | Quick Sand ranges from $11.44 (Battle-Scarred) to $8.37 (Factory New). Field-Tested copies sit at $4.67.


The current 7-day median is $4.51. The 90-day median is $24.96. The all-time median is $4.29. Volume averages 0 trades per day.

Visual Theme

Hydrographic: A tan and blue hydrographic pattern has been applied to the stock and receiver. The barrel has been painted dark blue. The primary colors are tan and various shades of blue. The stock and receiver are the most prominent parts of the weapon during gameplay.

Player Rating

Rating: N/A / 5
Votes: 0

Sticker Compatibility

The Nova | Quick Sand, with its hydrographic finish, provides a textured base for sticker application. Its sandy tones suggest compatibility with stickers in earthy or neutral color palettes.