Will I get a higher price if I sort or clean my #2 Copper?

Yes — removing solder joints, paint, brass fittings, or burn marks before bringing material in usually lands you in a cleaner grade on the price board. Even an hour of prep work at home can move the ticket up.

Why does #2 Copper pricing change from week to week?

Posted yard rates for #2 Copper follow underlying commodity benchmarks plus a yard-specific margin. When the benchmark moves, posted prices catch up within a couple business days at the typical yard.

Do all yards buy #2 Copper?

Not always. Some yards focus on auto salvage, others on industrial scrap. The yard search filters by accepted material, so you can quickly see who in your area takes #2 Copper.

What lowers the price a yard pays for #2 Copper?

The main deductions come from solder, paint, or attached fittings. If the material has visible solder joints, paint, brass fittings, or burn marks, the yard either downgrades the ticket or applies a flat deduction.

How is #2 Copper weighed and paid?

Yards weigh material on a public scale and pay by the pound. The posted rate on the day you bring it in is what applies — calling ahead is the safest way to confirm.

What does #2 Copper go into after the yard?

Sorted #2 Copper is shipped to mills or refiners that produce demolition tubing and old radiator coils. The recovered material reduces the need to mine new ore and keeps the recycling loop tight.

#2 Copper Scrap Price Today

National average and per-state rates. Last updated Nov 10, 2026.

US National Average

$4.73/lb

▼ 5.4% over 30 days (from $5.00)

Estimated daily: metal spot price from MetalpriceAPI × a grade factor. How we calculate prices. Exchange prices for comparison: LME, COMEX.

What is #2 Copper?

Common scrap sources: copper cookware (pot or pan), electric motor (large, 10-50 lb), starter motor, electric motor (small, under 10 lb), car alternator, central ac condenser unit (outdoor), window ac unit (5,000-15,000 btu), and ceiling fan.

How to prep #2 Copper

Prep guidance for items that contain #2 Copper:

Copper Cookware (Pot or Pan): Resale almost always beats scrap for any marked or hammered piece. For scrap, remove brass or steel handles by drilling out rivets. Verify the pan is solid copper rather than copper-clad — copper is non-magnetic, so a magnet test is the quickest check before listing.
Electric Motor (Large, 10-50 lb): Always worth opening at this size — a torch, sawzall, or angle grinder through the end bell exposes the copper windings cleanly. Sell windings as #2 copper, steel laminations and housing as light iron, and aluminum end bells (some industrial motors) separately. Bearings have no scrap value.
Starter Motor: Try the auto-parts core counter first — most chains pay a small per-core rebate. For scrap, breaking open the housing with a chisel or sawzall to expose the copper roughly doubles the per-pound rate. Watch for sealed permanent-magnet starters, which contain neodymium magnets and may have collectible value.
Electric Motor (Small, under 10 lb): If selling more than a tote-full, cutting open the housing to expose copper windings is worth the time. Otherwise sell whole at the electric-motor rate. Aluminum-housed motors pay slightly less due to lower steel content.

#2 Copper — 90-day price history

What drives the #2 Copper market

Most #2 Copper flows through the scrap market because of electrical wiring and plumbing. On the supply side, the steady stream of yard inflow comes from demolition jobs and HVAC removal. Activity in construction and electrical work ends up showing in posted yard prices over a couple weeks. soldered tubing and old fittings is one of the regular streams sellers bring in. On the consumer side, recovered #2 Copper feeds demolition tubing and old radiator coils. For sellers, the practical takeaway is that posted yard rates for #2 Copper reflect both the broader commodity benchmark and the local downstream demand from construction and electrical work, so calling two or three nearby yards on the same morning gives a useful read on what rates are doing that week.

How #2 Copper grades differ on the price board

Pricing across Copper grades depends on how clean the material is. Bare Bright Copper pays the highest of the family because it can be used directly as clean conductor stock for copper mills. Number Two Copper carries the discount because of solder, paint, or attached fittings. Most of the spread can be closed by removing solder joints, paint, brass fittings, or burn marks before bringing the material in.

Frequently asked about #2 Copper

Will I get a higher price if I sort or clean my #2 Copper?: Yes — removing solder joints, paint, brass fittings, or burn marks before bringing material in usually lands you in a cleaner grade on the price board. Even an hour of prep work at home can move the ticket up.
Why does #2 Copper pricing change from week to week?: Posted yard rates for #2 Copper follow underlying commodity benchmarks plus a yard-specific margin. When the benchmark moves, posted prices catch up within a couple business days at the typical yard.
Do all yards buy #2 Copper?: Not always. Some yards focus on auto salvage, others on industrial scrap. The yard search filters by accepted material, so you can quickly see who in your area takes #2 Copper.
What lowers the price a yard pays for #2 Copper?: The main deductions come from solder, paint, or attached fittings. If the material has visible solder joints, paint, brass fittings, or burn marks, the yard either downgrades the ticket or applies a flat deduction.
How is #2 Copper weighed and paid?: Yards weigh material on a public scale and pay by the pound. The posted rate on the day you bring it in is what applies — calling ahead is the safest way to confirm.
What does #2 Copper go into after the yard?: Sorted #2 Copper is shipped to mills or refiners that produce demolition tubing and old radiator coils. The recovered material reduces the need to mine new ore and keeps the recycling loop tight.