Copper scrap is valuable. With COMEX copper near $6.59 per pound and LME cash around $14,529 per metric ton in September 2026, even small amounts of scrap can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. But not all copper scrap is equal. The grade determines the price you will receive, and the difference between grades can be 30-50% or more.
Yards do not pay full COMEX or LME spot. They buy at a discount to cover processing, transport, testing, and margin. Realistic bare bright quotes are typically about 80-90% of COMEX, not near parity with the exchange price.
Understanding copper scrap grades is essential whether you are a contractor clearing out an old building, a homeowner renovating, or someone who stumbled across a pile of old wire. This guide covers the major scrap copper grades, current pricing ranges, and how to maximize the value when selling.
For quick calculations of what your scrap is worth, use our copper scrap value calculator.
How scrap copper grades work
Scrap yards classify copper based on purity, condition, and ease of processing. Higher purity means higher prices because refiners can process it with less effort and cost.
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) publishes standardized scrap specifications that most US yards follow. Other countries use similar systems with slight variations.
The key factors that determine grade:
- Purity: Is it pure copper or mixed with other metals?
- Coating: Is it bare copper or covered in insulation, tin, solder, or paint?
- Thickness: Wire gauge matters for some grades.
- Contamination: Presence of steel, brass, aluminum, or other materials lowers the grade.
- Cleanliness: Dirt, oil, corrosion, and attachments reduce value.
Let’s break down the major grades from highest to lowest value.
Bare bright copper: The premium grade
ISRI code: Barley
Current price range (September 2026): $5.11 to $5.74/lb
Percentage of COMEX price: about 80-90%
Bare bright copper is the highest-grade scrap. It consists of clean, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire or cable with a minimum copper content of 99%.
What qualifies:
- Bare copper wire (no insulation, no coating)
- Wire diameter at least 16 gauge (1.29 mm)
- No solder, corrosion, or attachments
- No brass or bronze mixed in
- Clean and dry
Common sources:
- Copper wire stripped of insulation
- Copper tubing that has been cleaned and cut
- Electrical busbars and connectors
- Copper plate and sheet
Bare bright commands the highest price because it requires minimal processing. Refiners can melt it directly and produce copper cathodes with very little waste. Even so, yards still pay a clear discount to COMEX/LME spot (near $6.59/lb in September 2026).
If you have insulated wire, stripping it to bare bright can increase its value by 50-80%, but only if the wire is thick enough to make stripping worthwhile. For thin wire (18 gauge or smaller), the labor cost of stripping often exceeds the price difference.
#1 copper: Clean and solid
ISRI code: Candy
Current price range (September 2026): $5.11 to $5.42/lb
Percentage of COMEX price: about 78-82%
#1 copper is clean, unalloyed copper that may have minor imperfections but is still high quality.
What qualifies:
- Bare copper wire at least 16 gauge
- Copper pipe, tubing, and fittings (clean, no solder)
- Copper sheet, plate, and bussbar
- May have minor amounts of solder at joints
- No excessive corrosion or coatings
What disqualifies it from bare bright:
- Slight tarnish or oxidation
- Small amounts of solder at pipe joints
- Minor dirt or grease (but not excessive)
Common sources:
- Old copper plumbing pipes
- HVAC refrigeration lines
- Electrical panel busbars
- Roofing copper
The price difference between bare bright and #1 copper is usually about 10-30 cents per pound (bare bright sits at the top of the range). For large quantities, that adds up quickly. If you have copper pipe with soldered joints, cutting out the joints to increase the grade can be worth the effort for quantities over 100 pounds.
#2 copper: Mixed and coated
ISRI code: Cliff
Current price range (September 2026): $4.47 to $5.11/lb
Percentage of COMEX price: about 68-78%
#2 copper is lower-grade scrap that requires more processing to refine.
What qualifies:
- Copper wire with solder, paint, or other coatings
- Copper pipe with heavy corrosion or attachments
- Copper mixed with small amounts of brass fittings
- Burnt wire (insulation burned off, but wire may be oxidized)
- Copper with steel attachments that can be easily removed
What disqualifies it from #1:
- Heavy solder or brazing
- Paint, varnish, or other coatings
- Excessive corrosion or oxidation
- Attached fittings made of other metals
Common sources:
- Old copper wire with corrosion
- Copper pipe from demolition with fittings still attached
- Burnt electrical cable
- Copper heating coils with corrosion
- Copper roofing with nails and tar
#2 copper often trades roughly $0.50 to $1.00 per pound below bare bright. For contractors or scrappers dealing with demolition material, #2 is often the practical grade because cleaning every piece to #1 standard is not cost-effective.
Insulated copper wire: Price depends on thickness
Insulated copper wire is priced based on the copper content as a percentage of total weight. Thicker wires have more copper relative to insulation and command higher prices. Quotes are recovery-based and much lower than bare grades, often roughly $1.90 to $3.75/lb depending on type and copper yield.
#1 insulated wire
Current price range (September 2026): $2.80 to $3.75/lb
Typical recovery: roughly 60-75% copper by weight
What qualifies:
- Wire 12 gauge or thicker
- Clean insulation (no oil, dirt, or heavy contamination)
- Copper content roughly 60-75% by weight
- May have minor amounts of solder
Common sources:
- Romex electrical wire (household wiring)
- Industrial power cable
- Extension cords with thick conductors
#2 insulated wire
Current price range (September 2026): $1.90 to $2.50/lb
Typical recovery: roughly 40-50% copper by weight
What qualifies:
- Wire 14-16 gauge
- Copper content roughly 40-50% by weight
- May have some contamination
Common sources:
- Lamp cords
- Smaller appliance cords
- Automotive wiring
Light insulated wire
Current price range (September 2026): $0.60 to $1.20/lb
Typical recovery: less than 35% copper by weight
What qualifies:
- Wire 18 gauge or thinner
- Copper content less than 35% by weight
- Heavy insulation relative to conductor size
Common sources:
- Speaker wire
- Telephone cable
- Computer power cords
- Small electronic device wiring
The price drop-off for thin insulated wire is dramatic. A pound of bare bright copper might be worth about $5.40, but a pound of light insulated wire might fetch only $0.90. This is why many people strip thick wire but leave thin wire insulated: the labor is not worth the return.
Other common copper scrap categories
Copper tubing
Current price range (September 2026): $4.80 to $5.40/lb
Clean copper tubing used in plumbing and HVAC systems. Usually grades as #1 copper if clean, or #2 if it has corrosion or attached fittings.
Copper radiators
Current price range (September 2026): $2.50 to $3.20/lb
Car and industrial radiators contain copper and brass. Price depends on cleanliness and whether steel or aluminum components are attached. Clean copper/brass radiators fetch higher prices than those with steel tanks still attached.
Electric motors (copper bearing)
Current price range (September 2026): $0.30 to $0.60/lb
Electric motors contain copper windings plus steel, aluminum, and other materials. Scrap yards buy them as whole units and dismantle them. Price is low because copper content is only 10-20% of total weight.
Copper transformers
Current price range (September 2026): $0.40 to $0.80/lb
Transformers from electrical panels and substations contain copper coils. Like motors, they are bought as complete units due to mixed materials.
Copper wire with steel center
Current price range (September 2026): $3.00 to $3.80/lb
Some large power cables have copper conductors around a steel core for strength. These are priced lower than pure copper wire due to the steel content.
Regional price variations
Scrap copper prices vary by location due to transportation costs, local supply and demand, and competition among scrap yards.
General regional patterns (September 2026):
- Major cities: Higher prices due to more competition among scrap buyers.
- Rural areas: Prices 5-10% lower due to fewer buyers and higher transportation costs to refineries.
- Coastal areas near ports: Prices slightly higher because scrap can be exported directly.
- Industrial regions: Higher prices when local manufacturing creates strong demand for recycled copper.
For example, bare bright copper might fetch $5.60/lb in Los Angeles but only $5.20/lb in a small town in Montana. The difference is not huge, but for someone with 1,000 pounds of scrap, that is $400.
Always call multiple scrap yards before selling. Prices can vary 10-15% between yards in the same city. Some yards specialize in copper and pay premium prices. Others focus on steel and offer weak copper prices.
How to maximize value when selling scrap copper
Sort by grade
Do not mix #1 copper with #2 copper or insulated wire with bare bright. Yards pay based on the lowest grade in a mixed load. If you throw 10 pounds of insulated wire in with 100 pounds of bare bright, the entire load might get downgraded.
Spend 30 minutes sorting, and you will earn an extra 15-25% on the total payout.
Strip thick wire, leave thin wire
For wire 12 gauge or thicker, stripping the insulation increases value by 50-80%. For wire 16 gauge or thinner, the labor usually is not worth it unless you have specialized stripping tools.
Manual wire strippers cost $20-50 and work well for moderate amounts of wire. Powered wire stripping machines cost $300-3,000 and make sense for contractors or scrappers handling large volumes.
Remove attachments
Cut off brass fittings from copper pipe. Remove steel brackets from copper busbars. Trim away soldered joints if they are excessive. A few minutes with a hacksaw can move material from #2 to #1 grade.
Clean the copper
Wipe off dirt, grease, and light corrosion. You do not need it to be spotless, but removing obvious contamination can bump borderline material into a higher grade.
Weigh before you go
Bring a scale or use a bathroom scale to weigh your scrap at home. Knowing the weight before you arrive at the yard keeps you honest and ensures the yard’s scale is accurate. Discrepancies over 2-3% are worth questioning.
Get quotes from multiple yards
Call 3-5 scrap yards in your area and ask for current prices on each grade you have. Prices can vary significantly. Some yards offer pickup services for large loads, which can save you time and fuel costs.
Timing the market
Scrap copper prices track LME/COMEX copper prices with a 1-3 day lag. If COMEX copper jumps 5% on Monday, scrap yards will usually raise their prices by Tuesday or Wednesday.
For large quantities (500+ pounds), monitoring exchange prices and timing your sale during upward moves can add 5-10% to your payout. For small amounts, it is not worth the effort: just sell when you have a load ready.
Common mistakes that cost money
Burning insulation off wire
Some people burn insulation off wire thinking it will increase the price to bare bright. This is a mistake for several reasons:
- Burnt wire is heavily oxidized and grades as #2, not bare bright.
- Burning wire is illegal in most jurisdictions due to toxic smoke.
- Fire risk is significant.
The price difference between #1 insulated wire (around $3.20/lb) and #2 copper (around $4.80/lb) seems appealing, but burnt wire fetches #2 prices while carrying legal and safety risks. Just sell insulated wire as-is or strip it properly.
Leaving too many attachments
Many people bring copper pipe with brass fittings, solder, and steel hangers still attached. Yards will pay #2 prices or even “dirty copper” prices (30-40% below #2) for heavily contaminated material.
Taking an extra 20 minutes to cut off attachments can increase value by 25-50%.
Not asking about clean vs. dirty grades
Some yards have three categories: clean #1, standard #1, and #2. Others use different terminology. Always ask the buyer to clarify exactly what qualifies for each price tier before unloading your truck.
Trusting the first offer
Scrap yards are businesses. They want to pay as little as possible. If a yard offers $4.50/lb for material that should grade as #1 copper (around $5.20/lb), do not be afraid to walk away and go to another yard.
Using the copper scrap calculator
Our copper scrap value calculator lets you estimate the value of your scrap based on current LME/COMEX prices and typical yard percentages.
Enter the weight and grade of your material, and the calculator shows:
- Estimated value based on current exchange price
- Typical scrap yard price range (accounting for their margin)
- Comparison across grades to see if stripping or cleaning is worthwhile
The calculator updates daily with LME price data, so you always have current estimates.
For example, if you have 50 pounds of Romex wire (12 gauge insulated), the calculator will show:
- Bare bright value if fully stripped: about $270
- #1 insulated wire value as-is: about $160
- Time required to strip 50 lbs: approximately 2-3 hours
This lets you decide whether stripping is worth your time. If you value your labor at $20/hour and stripping takes 3 hours, the extra profit can be worth it. If stripping takes 5 hours, you may be working for a lower effective hourly rate, which may or may not be attractive depending on your circumstances.
The future of scrap copper prices
Scrap copper prices follow LME/COMEX copper with a slight lag. As of September 2026, LME copper trades near $6.59/lb (about $14,529/t), which supports elevated scrap quotes even after the yard discount.
The structural supply deficit in new-mined copper means scrap is more valuable than ever. Recycled copper provides about 30-35% of global supply. As long as demand for copper remains strong (driven by the energy transition, EV production, and data center construction), scrap prices will likely remain elevated.
However, copper is cyclical. If a global recession hits in 2027-2028, LME prices could fall to $4.50 to $5.00/lb, pulling scrap prices down proportionally. Bare bright might drop to roughly $3.60 to $4.50/lb, and better insulated wire could fall toward $1.50 to $2.50/lb.
For scrappers and contractors, this volatility creates opportunity. Stockpiling copper during price dips and selling during rallies can increase profits significantly. But it also ties up capital and requires storage space.
For casual sellers (homeowners doing a renovation, someone cleaning out a garage), timing is less important. Just sell when you have material ready. The time and effort of monitoring prices and storing scrap for months is rarely worth the potential 10-15% gain.
Frequently asked questions
What is bare bright copper worth in 2026?
Bare bright copper typically trades at $5.11 to $5.74 per pound in September 2026, roughly 80-90% of COMEX copper prices (COMEX/LME near $6.59/lb, LME about $14,529/t). This is the highest grade of scrap copper and requires clean, uncoated, unalloyed wire or tubing at least 16 gauge. Yards pay a discount to the exchange price, not 92-97% of LME.
Should I strip insulation off copper wire before selling?
Strip wire 12 gauge or thicker, as the value increase (50-80%) justifies the labor. For wire 16 gauge or thinner, the labor usually exceeds the value gained unless you have powered stripping equipment.
What is the difference between #1 and #2 copper?
#1 copper is clean and uncoated, trading at $5.11 to $5.42/lb. #2 copper has coatings, corrosion, or minor contamination, trading at $4.47 to $5.11/lb. The price difference is typically several tens of cents per pound, depending on the yard and load quality.
How much is insulated copper wire worth?
Insulated wire is recovery-based and much lower than bare grades. #1 insulated wire (12 gauge or thicker) often trades around $2.80 to $3.75/lb. #2 insulated wire (14-16 gauge) often trades around $1.90 to $2.50/lb. Light insulated wire (18 gauge or thinner) often trades around $0.60 to $1.20/lb.
Do scrap yards pay the same prices everywhere?
No. Prices vary by region and between individual yards. Major cities typically pay 5-10% more than rural areas. Always call multiple yards to compare prices before selling.
Can I burn insulation off wire to increase the price?
No. Burnt wire is heavily oxidized and grades as #2 copper, not bare bright. Burning wire is also illegal in most areas due to toxic smoke and fire risk. Strip wire properly or sell it insulated.
How do I calculate the value of my scrap copper?
Use our copper scrap value calculator to estimate value based on weight, grade, and current LME/COMEX prices. The calculator accounts for typical scrap yard margins and shows whether stripping or cleaning material is worthwhile.
What is the best time to sell scrap copper?
For large quantities, monitor LME/COMEX copper prices and sell during upward moves to capture 5-10% higher prices. For small amounts, timing is less critical: just sell when you have a load ready rather than storing it for months.
Why do scrap yards pay less than LME prices?
Scrap yards must cover costs for processing, transportation to refineries, testing, storage, and profit margin. They typically pay about 68-90% of COMEX/LME depending on grade. Bare bright is usually around 80-90% of COMEX, not near full exchange parity. Lower grades and insulated wire receive larger discounts because they require more processing or have lower recoverable copper content.