Copper Price Per Pound Today
As of —, the copper price per pound is —. The price per gram is — and the price per kilogram is —.
Copper Price by Weight
| Unit | Price |
|---|---|
| Per Gram | — |
| Per Ounce | — |
| Per Troy Ounce | — |
| Per Pound | — |
| Per Kilogram | — |
| Per Metric Tonne | — |
Last updated: —
Estimated Scrap Copper Prices
| Grade | Est. % of Spot | Est. Price/Lb |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Bare Bright | 90–95% | —–— |
| #1 Copper | 85–92% | —–— |
| #2 Copper | 78–85% | —–— |
| #1 Insulated Wire | 45–55% | —–— |
| #2 Insulated Wire | 30–40% | —–— |
Scrap prices are estimates based on typical dealer percentages of spot price. Actual prices vary by location, quantity, and market conditions. Contact your local scrap yard for exact pricing.
How Copper Is Priced
Copper trades on the COMEX (CME Group) in USD per pound and on the London Metal Exchange (LME) in USD per metric tonne. The COMEX price per pound is the standard reference in the United States. Copper prices are driven by industrial demand — construction, electronics, automotive, and renewable energy — global supply from mines in Chile, Peru, DRC, and China, and macroeconomic factors. Unlike precious metals, copper is not priced per troy ounce. One pound equals 16 standard ounces or 453.592 grams.
Copper Price Factors
Copper is often called "Dr. Copper" because its price is seen as an indicator of global economic health. When construction and manufacturing are booming, copper demand rises and prices follow. The shift toward electric vehicles is a major demand driver — EVs use 3–4 times more copper than gas-powered cars. Renewable energy infrastructure (solar panels, wind turbines, grid storage) also requires large amounts of copper. On the supply side, declining ore grades at existing mines and the long lead times to develop new mines create structural supply constraints that support prices over the long term.
Scrap Copper Grades Explained
#1 Bare Bright is the highest-value scrap: clean, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire at least 16 gauge, with no solder, paint, or insulation. It commands 90–95% of spot price. #1 Copper includes clean pipe, bus bar, and heavy gauge wire with minor oxidation but no coatings. #2 Copper has light corrosion, solder, paint, or thin-gauge wire. Insulated wire is priced based on estimated copper recovery percentage after the insulation is stripped. #1 insulated wire (THHN, Romex) has higher copper content than #2 insulated wire. Always separate your scrap by grade before selling — mixed loads get the lowest price.
Copper Penny Melt Value
Pre-1982 US pennies are 95% copper and weigh 3.11 grams. At today's copper price, each pre-1982 penny contains about 2.93 cents worth of copper — approximately 2.9× face value. One pound of copper pennies (about 146 coins) has a melt value of approximately —. Note that melting US currency is federally prohibited, but copper pennies trade among collectors at premiums above face value based on copper content.
For a full copper coin breakdown, use our copper melt value calculator. Also see the gold price per gram, silver price per gram, check scrap gold values, or return to the melt value calculator homepage.