How do I earn gems, and what's the best way to acquire them?

[Bluebadboy70]

So I've recently decided that I wanted to start getting into the Steam marketplace by selling booster packs, but I don't have enough gems to make a pack. Just to note I don't have that many items in my inventory that I could use to earn gems.

[Lokiator]

There are three main ways:

1. You convert worthless backgrounds or emotes directly into gems. By worthless, I refer to items that have thousands or tens of thousands of copies for sale in the marketplace at or near their gem value.

2. You trade items for gems.

3. You buy sacks of gems from the marketplace.