Mann Co. Supply Crate

“

Where's your precious Hippo-crates now? Click to listen — The Scout

”

Mann Co. Supply Crates are tool items obtainable only through the item drop system. They are shown as open-style wooden shipping crates, wrapped in chains held with a comically large padlock.

The crate cannot be crafted, or be used to craft things such as Scrap Metal. Opening a crate is often considered a gamble by players due to the wide range of possible contents.

When a crate is opened, a 5 second timer ticks down, alongside a sound effect of chains jangling and wood creaking. The player will receive one of a set of items, which are listed in the crate's description and dependent on its series. This item is announced to the server in a similar format to regular dropped items. The crate is then removed from the player inventory.

Contents

Note: Statistics collected Steam Users' Forum post by molaughlen, posted October 29, 2010. Full statistics table available here (Google Spreadsheet). Note that rare item statistics assume drop rates are equal regardless of series. Also assumes that the series of the crates are dropping in a uniform distribution.

Series #1

Note: sample size of 2,361 crates.

In-game description	Drop rate (%)*	Estimated Drop rate (%)*
Vita-Saw	8.30%	11%
Gunslinger	11.01%	11%
Equalizer	11.94%	11%
Scottish Resistance	10.72%	11%
Old Guadalajara	12.54%	11%
Napper's Respite	13.34%	11%
Name Tag	10.00%	11%
An Extraordinary Abundance of Tinge	10.50%	11%
A Distinctive Lack of Hue	11.10%	11%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	0.55%	1%

Series #2

Note: sample size of 1,182 crates.

In-game description	Drop rate (%)*	Estimated Drop rate (%)*
Black Box	15.27%	14.5%
Shortstop	12.15%	14.5%
L'Etranger	10.80%	14.5%
Sober Stuntman	6.41%	4%
Pugilist's Protector	4.47%	4%
Chieftain's Challenge	6.24%	4%
Dueling Mini-Game	15.60%	14.5%
A Deep Commitment to Purple	13.76%	14.5%
Australium Gold	15.78%	14.5%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	0.51%	1%

Series #3

Note: sample size of 21 crates.

In-game description	Drop rate (%)*	Estimated Drop rate (%)*
Bushwacka	4.76%	-%
Crit-a-Cola	4.76%	-%
The Homewrecker	38.10%	-%
Troublemaker's Tossle Cap	-%	-%
Bombing Run	-%	-%
Stout Shako	14.29%	-%
Description Tag	4.76%	-%
A Distinctive Lack of Hue	33.33%	-%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	-%	-%

Series #4

Note: sample size of 17 crates.

In-game description	Drop rate (%)*	Estimated Drop rate (%)*
Battalion's Backup	17.65%	-%
Pain Train	5.88%	-%
Your Eternal Reward	11.76%	-%
Whoopee Cap	11.76%	-%
Heavy Duty Rag	11.65%	-%
Handyman's Handle	5.88%	-%
Dueling Mini-Game	11.76%	-%
An Extraordinary Abundance of Tinge	17.65%	-%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	-%	-%

Series #5

Note: sample size of 28 crates.

In-game description	Drop rate (%)*	Estimated Drop rate (%)*
Name Tag	25.00%	-%
The Powerjack	7.14%	-%
The Gunboats	21.43%	-%
The Southern Hospitality	17.86%	-%
Bloke's Bucket Hat	7.14%	-%
Safe'n'Sound	7.14%	-%
Ze Goggles	7.14%	-%
Handyman's Handle	3.57%	-%
Color No. 216-190-216	3.57%	-%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	-%	-%

Notes

1. Drop rate is the observed drop rate. Estimated drop rate is what we estimate Valve have set the drop rate at.

Trivia

• Valve modeled the padlocked chain in order to take the screenshot for the icon, but the chain, padlock, and padlocked box can't be found in the game files. Their textures, however, can be. The crate is the same as models/props_hydro/barrel_crate_half.mdl .
• The first hint to the existence of crates was seen in the Mac update trailer. The Soldier can be seen pulling various hats from a Mann Co. Supply Crate at the 23 second mark.