How to Identify This Grade
Shiny reddish-orange colour, no insulation, no tinning, no solder. Wire must be thicker than 1.5mm (slightly thicker than a standard paperclip).
Common Sources
New electrical installation offcuts, large gauge building wire, bus bars
What Lowers the Value
Any insulation, tinning, solder, paint, or wire thinner than 1.5mm drops it to No.1 or lower. Oxidation (dark brown or black surface) also downgrades the material.
Common downgrade mistakes:
How This Compares to Other Copper Grades
All grades of Copper — ranked by typical payout. Click any grade to see details.
| Grade | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Bare Bright Copper current | $9.00/kg – $9.60/kg |
| No.1 Copper Clean, uncoated copper pipe and wire with light oxidation allowed. No major paint, coatings, or solder. | $8.20/kg – $8.80/kg |
| No.2 Copper Copper with solder, paint, light coatings, or oxidation. Mixed copper objects that don't meet No.1 standard. | $7.20/kg – $7.80/kg |
| Insulated Copper Wire Copper wire still inside its plastic or rubber insulation. Price depends heavily on copper recovery percentage. | $3.50/kg – $5.50/kg |
Price ranges are estimates. Actual yard payouts depend on grade purity, condition, and quantity.
Check City Prices
Local rates for Copper — click a city to see yard-by-yard breakdown.