Copper Price Today

How to calculate the value of copper

Copper is priced per pound of pure metal. The value of a piece of scrap is the copper it contains, priced at the spot price:

copper (lb)     = weight (lb) × copper content   (yellow brass ≈ 0.65)
value at spot   = copper (lb) × spot price per lb
price per kg    = spot price per lb × 2.20462

So 20 pounds of clean copper pipe holds about 20 pounds of copper and is worth 20 times today's price per pound at spot, while 20 pounds of yellow brass fittings holds about 13 pounds. Scrap yards pay less than spot, and the gap depends on the yard and how clean the copper is, so treat this as the ceiling and compare offers against it.

How to use the copper calculator

1. 1

   Sort what you have

   Clean, bare copper wire and pipe are nearly pure copper. Yellow brass fittings, red brass valves and bronze are alloys with less copper. Pick the closest match.

2. 2

   Weigh it

   A bathroom or luggage scale in pounds is fine for scrap. Kilograms, ounces, grams and tons are also supported.

3. 3

   Subtract what isn't copper

   Insulation, steel fittings, solder and attached brass add weight. Strip or weigh them separately, or estimate, and enter the weight to subtract.

4. 4

   Read the copper value

   The calculator multiplies the copper content by the live spot price per pound. Add a scrap yard's offer to see how it compares.

Frequently asked questions

What is the copper price today?

The price at the top of this page is the live spot price for one pound of copper, refreshed every minute. Copper is quoted per pound on COMEX, the US futures market, and per metric ton on the London Metal Exchange. Change the currency to see it in euros, pounds sterling, rupees and 14 other currencies, along with the copper price per kilogram, per ounce and per ton.

How much is scrap copper worth per pound?

Clean copper is worth close to the spot price per pound as metal, but scrap yards pay less than spot to cover sorting, processing and their margin. Bare bright wire, the cleanest grade, gets the best price, followed by #1 copper (clean pipe and wire) and #2 copper (with solder, paint or coatings). Yards set their own prices, so call a few and compare their offers with the value here.

What is bare bright copper?

Bare bright is clean, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire with the insulation stripped off and no tarnish, paint or solder. It's the highest scrap grade because it's nearly pure copper and needs no processing. Pipe and wire with fittings, solder or coatings fall into the lower #1 and #2 grades.

How much copper is in a penny?

US pennies made before 1982 are 95% copper and weigh 3.11 grams, so each holds about 2.95 grams of copper. Pennies made after 1982 are 97.5% zinc with a thin copper plating, and 1982 pennies can be either kind. Melting or exporting US pennies and nickels is illegal (31 CFR Part 82), so their copper value is a curiosity, not a way to cash them in.

How much copper is in brass and bronze?

Brass is copper and zinc: yellow brass, used for fittings and keys, is roughly 65% copper, and red brass, used for valves and plumbing, is roughly 85%. Bronze is copper and tin, typically around 88% copper. Exact alloys vary, so the calculator uses these typical figures, or you can enter your own copper percentage.

How do I convert the copper price per pound to per kilogram or per ton?

One kilogram is 2.20462 pounds, so the price per kg is the price per pound × 2.20462. A US short ton is 2,000 pounds and a metric tonne is 2,204.62 pounds. The calculator shows the live price per kilogram, ounce and ton, and you can pick any of those units for your weight.

Why does the copper price change?

Copper is an industrial metal, used in wiring, plumbing, motors, electric vehicles and power grids, so its price moves with expectations for construction, manufacturing and energy demand, as well as mine supply and the US dollar. The spot price here updates every minute during trading.

Where does the copper price come from?

Prices come from Gold API (gold-api.com), a real-time metals price feed (ticker HG, quoted per pound), and are converted into the currency you pick. Each price shows the time it was last updated. If the feed stops responding, the tool keeps showing the last price it received and says so.

Can I add this copper price to my website?

Yes. Scroll to 'Add a live copper price widget to your site', choose a currency and a light or dark theme, and copy the two-line embed code into your page. The widget updates itself every five minutes, needs no API key, and is free to use.