Prices from a London-area yard (Simvic, Chertsey), not a UK average.
Copper grades · Surrey & London
Bright Copper Wire Price per kg today — £9.20 (25 Oct)
Dry bright copper wire is £9.00–£9.20 per kg (£9,000–£9,200 per tonne), verified 25 Oct 2026.
Bright copper wire — also called dry bright wire or No. 1 copper — is the highest-value common scrap grade, because it can go straight to a furnace with almost no processing. It is bare, uncoated, untarnished copper wire with nothing attached.
Bright copper wire value today
£9.00 – £9.20per kg
Yard price, verified . Final price depends on grade, condition and weight.
| Weight | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | £9.00 – £9.20 |
| 5 kg | £45.00 – £46.00 |
| 10 kg | £90.00 – £92.00 |
| 25 kg | £225.00 – £230.00 |
How yards grade bright copper wire
- The wire must be bare: no insulation, lacquer, tinning or paint of any kind.
- It must be untarnished — bright and shiny, not dull or green. Oxidised wire drops into a lower grade.
- Strands must be at least roughly the thickness of a pencil lead; finer hair-like wire is usually graded down even when clean.
- No solder, connectors, plugs or other metals attached.
- Yards may call this grade dry bright, bright and shiny, or No. 1 copper — the description above is what matters, not the label.
How to prepare it
- Strip insulation only where it is safe and practical. For thick cable, stripping can move the load from a cable grade into bright wire, which pays several times more per kg.
- Never burn cable to remove insulation — it is illegal, produces toxic fumes, and burnt wire is graded down.
- Cut off plugs, connectors and soldered joints and put them in a mixed copper bag instead.
- Keep bright wire in its own container. A handful of tarnished or tinned wire mixed in can drag the whole bag down a grade.
- Keep it dry; wet wire is heavier on the day but yards may deduct for water.
What affects the price
- Copper market reference prices, which can move daily.
- Purity and surface condition — tarnish, tinning and coatings each cost money to remove.
- Strand thickness, which affects how easily the metal is recovered.
- Load size and how well it is sorted.
The rules when you sell
Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, a licensed dealer in England or Wales cannot pay cash for scrap metal — payment must be by bank transfer or cheque. The dealer must also verify and record your identity, so bring photo ID and proof of address. These rules apply to every dealer, not just one yard.
Bright Copper Wire FAQs
How much is 1kg of bright copper wire worth today?
Bright copper wire is £9.00 – £9.20 per kg at Simvic in Chertsey (verified 25 Oct 2026). 5 kg would be worth about £45.00 – £46.00. Final price depends on condition; confirm before travelling.
What is the difference between bright wire and greasy bright wire?
Greasy bright wire is clean bare copper that is slightly oxidised or discoloured, so it sits one grade below dry bright. On our confirmed list, greasy bright is priced below dry bright wire per kg — the gap is shown on the copper prices page.
Is it worth stripping cable to get bright wire?
For thick single-core cable, usually yes: bright wire is one of the highest grades on the price list while insulated cable pays for its copper content minus processing. For thin household flex the recovery is low, so the extra work rarely pays. Never burn cable.
Can I be paid cash for bright copper wire?
No. The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 bans cash payments for scrap metal at licensed dealers in England and Wales. Expect a bank transfer, and bring photo ID and proof of address.