Number 2 Copper Price Today: Solder, Paint and the Thin-Wire Rule

Number 2 copper covers unalloyed copper with solder, paint, light oxidation or plating, and any clean wire thinner than 16 gauge. It is still 94 to 96 percent metal by content. It sits five to ten points below number 1 and is the grade most household and demolition copper reaches.

What number 2 means

The ReMA codes are Birch for number 2 copper wire and Cliff for number 2 copper solids. Between them they cover most of what a yard sees.

The defining feature is that something has to be dealt with before the metal is refinery-ready: solder melted out, paint burnt off, oxidation removed, or thin strands handled that oxidise faster in the furnace. The yard prices for that work. The metal itself is nearly pure, which the grades guide puts at 94 to 96 percent.

What lands in number 2

Soldered pipe. Plumbing with the joints still on. This is the single largest source, and it is number 2 because cutting the solder out costs the yard time.

Painted and coated copper. Decorative copper, lacquered pieces and anything with a finish.

Thin wire. Anything under 16 gauge, however clean. Appliance cord, phone wire, thin stripped cable and the windings from small motors all land here. Gauge is a hard rule and no amount of shine overrides it.

Burnt wire. Copper stripped by burning is discoloured and brittle, and grades as number 2 at best. The burning page sets out why it is illegal and why it loses money.

Lightly oxidised material. Copper that has gone dull brown or started to green.

Number 2 against number 1

The spread is five to ten percent, and on most material it is closable.

Soldered pipe becomes number 1 when the joints are cut off. Painted pipe stays number 2 unless stripped, which rarely pays. Thin wire stays number 2 whatever you do. So the useful question is which of the three you are holding.

The cleaning guide works through what changes the grade and what wastes an evening. The short version: cutting pays, scrubbing usually does not.

Is cleaning up to number 1 worth it?

Depends entirely on the reason it is number 2.

Solder joints: yes. A cut an inch either side of each joint takes seconds and lifts the whole length a grade. On a bucket of pipe that is the best return per minute in the copper trade.

Paint: rarely. Chemical or mechanical stripping is slow, and the grade gain on a small quantity does not cover it.

Thin wire: never. It is number 2 by gauge, not by condition.

Tarnish: sometimes. Heavy pipe or bar can be acid-cleaned back to number 1 in bulk. Small quantities are not worth it.

Where number 2 comes from

Demolition and renovation supply most of it. Old plumbing arrives with every joint intact, radiator pipework carries paint, and electrical work yields thin wire in quantity. The house copper page shows where it sits in a typical home.

Vehicles contribute through thin harness wire and the copper in small motors, which the car copper page covers part by part.

Number 2 Copper prices around the world

Where number 2 copper comes from, market by market

Questions people actually ask

What is the number 2 copper price today?

The live figure is at the top of this page. It sits five to ten points below number 1 on a typical board.

Why is thin clean wire only number 2?

Because gauge is a fixed rule. Wire under 16 gauge oxidises faster and is harder to melt cleanly, so yards grade it as number 2 regardless of how bright it is.

Is number 2 copper still worth selling?

Very much so. It is 94 to 96 percent copper and pays a large fraction of the number 1 rate. Most copper sold in the world is number 2.

What are Birch and Cliff?

ReMA codes. Birch is number 2 copper wire, Cliff is number 2 copper solids such as pipe and clippings.

Can I mix number 2 with number 1?

You can, but the whole lot is paid as number 2. Keep them in separate containers.

Does burnt wire count as number 2?

At best. Some yards refuse it, and burning insulation is illegal in most jurisdictions.

How do I move soldered pipe up to number 1?

Cut an inch of clean pipe off either side of every joint and discard the joints, or sell them separately as number 2. The cut pipe is number 1.

What is light copper, and is it below number 2?

Yes. Light copper is sheet, roofing and gutter material, a further step below number 2. The comparison table above shows today's spread.

Frequently asked questions