You can't check if a Steam key is valid/unused.
So you're better off giving it to a friend or posting it in the forum.
Of course you can try to trade it, but be prepared to "refund" the other person if he claims that the key does not work.
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I was wandering about this too. If I already own the game, I can try a key without danger of being activated. If the key is good/unused, steam will tell me that I own the game already. The question is: does it say the same thing if the key has been activated by someone else or does it say that it's a duplicate key? I don't have a used key to try it out.
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Steam will always tell you that you already own the game, no matter if the key you try has already be redeemed or is unused.
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You're "received percentage" will drop.
Since you haven't given away anything, it will be a 0%
After your next successful giveaway it will be at 50%, then 66% ... and so on.
Other than that and an unhappy "winner", there will be no consequences.
It's still not recommended though - imagine you would win a giveaway and the giveaway creator told you "tough luck, I didn't know if the key will work, so no game/DLC for you, better luck next time"
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Bad advice.
It will tell you that you already own the game, even if the key you're testing has already been used.
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So I recently won a copy of the DEFCON soundtrack on gala giveaways, but I already own a copy of the soundtrack so I can't redeem the key. I've yet to check the condition of the key to see if it works. Is there anything I can do to check the key, trade it with someone, or am I just going to have to give away the key randomly? This is the first time I've run into this problem.
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