Insulated Copper Wire
Insulated Copper Wire is about $3.44/kg to $5.38/kg on our index as of November 10, 2026. The range is set by this site and moves each day with the copper benchmark, which follows the copper spot price. It is an estimate, not a yard quote. How we calculate prices.
Copper wire still inside its plastic or rubber insulation. Price depends heavily on copper recovery percentage.
How to Identify This Grade
Wire with plastic coating. Recovery percentage matters — romex house wiring is typically 60-70% copper by weight.
Common Sources
House wiring (Romex), extension cords, appliance cords, electronics cables
What Lowers the Value
Thin wire (phone, data cable) has a lower copper recovery percentage and pays much less. Water or contamination in the insulation also reduces value.
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 |
|---|---|
| Insulated Copper Wire current | $3.44/kg – $5.38/kg |
| Bare Bright Copper The highest grade of copper scrap — clean, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire at least 1.5mm diameter with no solder or insulation. | $8.83/kg – $9.43/kg |
| No.1 Copper Clean, uncoated copper pipe and wire with light oxidation allowed. No major paint, coatings, or solder. | $8.06/kg – $8.62/kg |
| No.2 Copper Copper with solder, paint, light coatings, or oxidation. Mixed copper objects that don't meet No.1 standard. | $7.07/kg – $7.67/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.