# Selling copper **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 22, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312 "2010-03-22T04:48:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/1 "2010-03-22T04:48:43Z")
Our existing gutters are copper. We have probably 50-60 linear feet of gutters. We have to update the gutters anyway and we know copper is pretty valuable (my fiance works in TV and tells me about people stealing wires for the copper). How do you go about selling copper? How much is it worth? We’re going to do the labor ourselves. Is there a pretty good chance that we will be able to pay for the new gutters by selling the old ones? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/2 "2010-03-22T04:57:24Z")
Local scrapyard/metal recycling facility. Expect to be asked for ID. [Copper Scrap Page.](http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/cu_scrap/cu_scrap.asp) I have no idea how accurate this is. Google search:[scrap copper prices.](http://www.google.com/search?q=scrap+copper+prices&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/3 "2010-03-22T05:02:28Z")
Hmm. Gonna have to find a scrapyard then. I did find those pages. Unfortunately, I haven’t the slightest clue what it means. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/4 "2010-03-22T05:49:54Z")
Well, “bare bright” would be untarnished copper with insulation, fixtures, etc. removed. The other terms are no doubt dealers’ jargon for ways in which scrap is commonly found. (I’m going to hazard a WAG that “Candy” is the bright-colored plastic insulated wire, by way of example.) Obviously copper that doesn’t have to have things removed from it before being reused is going to be worth more, from avoided labor costs. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/5 "2010-03-22T06:15:46Z")
The strange words are from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. Their code for nonferrous scrap metal comprises words which are assigned sort of alphabetically by content and quality. Candy, for instance, is No.1 HEAVY COPPER: > [@](#): > > Shall consist of clean, unalloyed, uncoated copper clippings, > punchings, bus bars, commutator segments, and wire not less > than 1/16 of an inch thick, free of burnt wire which is brittle;but may > include clean copper tubing.Hydraulically briquetted copper sub- > ject to agreement. Your gutters are mostly likely “Dream”: > [@](#): > > LIGHT COPPER > Shall consist of miscellaneous, unalloyed copper scrap having a > nominal 92% copper content (minimum 88%) as determined by > electrolytic assay and shall consist of sheet copper, **gutters, down- > spouts**, kettles, boilers, and similar scrap. Should be free of the fol- > lowing: Burnt hair wire; copper clad; plating racks; grindings; copper > wire from burning, containing insulation; radiators, fire extinguish- > ers; refrigerator units; electrotype shells; screening; excessively > leaded, tinned, soldered scrap; brasses and bronzes; excessive oil, > iron and non-metallics; and should be reasonably free of ash. Hy- > draulically briquetted copper subject to agreement. Any items ex- > cluded in this grade are also excluded in the higher grades above. The ISRI code is here in PDF: [nscrap.com](http://www.nscrap.com/isricodes.pdf) ETA: BTW, that first link is to an outdated sample listing. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/6 "2010-03-22T12:51:33Z")
Depending on the condition of the gutters, you could get a whole lot more selling them instead of scrapping them. I recently visited a seller of used building materials and he was selling used copper gutter material at $4 a foot. Much of what he had had turned green and some had even been painted. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/7 "2010-03-22T12:52:09Z")
Have you looked into contacting a deconstruction outfit to see if they’d be interested in buying them? If they’re salvageable at all, they’re probably worth more than just the price of the copper. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-copper/533312/8 "2010-03-22T20:18:30Z")
Wow. Thanks you guys. They are most definitely green. They’ve been rained and snowed on for longer than I’ve been alive. Other than that, I don’t know their condition. I think the carpet in the bathroom, tiles falling off shower walls, and electrical sockets that turn plugs burning hot are more important than the gutters so we’ll get to that when we can. Sounds like it will be more interesting than the rest of the stuff we have to do though.