Scrap Brass Prices Per Pound, Ounce, Ton (Yellow Brass, Red ...

Short Answer — Brass is worth around $1.25 to $2 per pound ($0.08 to $0.12 per ounce) on the scrap market. Some brass items are more valuable in the vintage and antique collectibles market, fetching prices ranging from $10 to over $1,000 per item. Several factors impact the price of brass; we explain these, plus how and where to sell brass below.

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• Brass Scrap Prices Explained
  • Price Factors
  • Types of Brass
    • 70/30 Brass
    • 80/20 Brass
    • 85/15 Brass
    • Red Brass
    • Mix Red Brass
    • Yellow Brass
    • Mix Yellow Brass Borings
    • Brass Radiators
    • Iron Brass Radiators
  • How Does Brass Compare to Other Metals?
• Selling Brass
  • How to Find/Identify Brass
  • Scrap vs. Antique
  • Where to Sell

Brass Scrap Prices Explained

On the scrap metal market, brass varies in value depending on the type but is generally worth around $1.25 to $2 per pound or $0.08 to $0.12 per ounce.[1][2]

We explain the price factors and the different types of brass you can sell below.

Price Factors

In addition to market conditions, there are a few other factors that can impact the value of brass.

The vast majority of brass sold in the U.S. is recycled from uses like industrial parts,[3] so contamination is one concern. If your brass is contaminated with materials like plastic, paint, or oil, this may affect its strength and machinability, which can make it less valuable.[4]

There are also different types of brass, each of which is priced differently. For example, red brass is typically more valuable than yellow brass because it has a higher concentration of copper.[5][1]

Types of Brass

As noted above, there are different types of brass you can sell for scrap, each of which will fetch a different price.

At the time of writing, average values by type are as follows.[1][2] Keep in mind that scrap prices fluctuate on a daily basis and can vary significantly from month to month (as well as by region), so you may not be able to meet these exact values for your brass.

70/30 Brass

• Per pound: About $1.60
• Per ounce: About $0.10
• Per ton: About $3,200

80/20 Brass

• Per pound: About $1.80
• Per ounce: About $0.11
• Per ton: About $3,600

85/15 Brass

• Per pound: About $2
• Per ounce: About $0.12
• Per ton: About $4,000

Red Brass

• Per pound: About $1.75
• Per ounce: About $0.11
• Per ton: About $3,500

Mix Red Brass

• Per pound: About $1.70
• Per ounce: About $0.11
• Per ton: About $3,400

Yellow Brass

• Per pound: About $1.55
• Per ounce: About $0.10
• Per ton: About $3,100

Mix Yellow Brass Borings

• Per pound: About $1.60
• Per ounce: About $0.10
• Per ton: About $3,200

Brass Radiators

• Per pound: About $1.25
• Per ounce: About $0.08
• Per ton: About $2,500

Iron Brass Radiators

• Per pound: About $0.64
• Per ounce: About $0.04
• Per ton: About $1,280

How Does Brass Compare to Other Metals?

Brass is a mid-level commodity at metal scrap yards; it’s worth more than aluminum or steel but less than copper.

To get the best price for your brass scrap, make sure it’s clean before you take it to the scrap yard. If possible, pre-sort it by type.

Selling Brass

How to Find/Identify Brass

Brass is usually shiny and yellow in color, but since it contains copper, types that contain more copper will appear more reddish.

Brass isn’t magnetic, so if you can stick a magnet to your item(s), you’ll know they aren’t brass.[6]

An item that looks like brass might instead be plated with a thin layer of brass, which is less valuable than solid brass.

Brass has been in use for hundreds of years and has a wide variety of applications, meaning you can find it in many places.

Some common brass items include:[6][7]

• Ammunition
• Bearings and bushings
• Decorative antiques like figurines, candleholders, and planters
• HVAC equipment
• Ornamental castings
• Pipe fittings
• Plumbing fixtures
• Valves
• Water pumps

Scrap vs. Antique

A vintage or antique brass item in good condition might be worth more sold for what it is than for scrap.

These include things like statues/figurines, planters, pitchers, vases, bookends, jewelry, and decorative mounts.[8][9]

Your particular item’s value will depend on the item type, size, age, casting quality, and maker. Prices range anywhere from under $10 for small, vintage items to $1,000 or more for larger, older, and more ornate pieces.[8]

Note that newer, mass-produced brass items can be designed to look older. You might want to consult an antique dealer to figure out whether your brass is truly antique or vintage before deciding whether to sell it as a collectible or for scrap.[9]

Where to Sell

Most scrap yards will buy brass, though some prefer to receive large, bulk lots instead of a few small pieces.

You can use Scrap Monster to find contact information for scrap yards in your area and call around to find out which yards are interested in your items and at what price.

It’s best to check with several different scrap yards in your area to be sure you’re getting the best price.

If you can’t find a scrap yard near you to sell to, you might also want to try a site like Craigslist or the Facebook Marketplace.

You might also try selling the items on eBay’s metalware marketplace or another peer-to-peer selling platform like Etsy.

1. https://www.scrapmonster.com/metal/brassbronze-scrap-price/usa/157[↩][↩][↩]
2. https://www.scrapregister.com/metal-price/brass-scrap/113[↩][↩]
3. https://www.copper.org/publications/pub_list/pdf/a7034-Brass-Recyclability.pdf[↩]
4. http://www.metalrecyclersusa.com/brass-recycling.html[↩]
5. https://www.rocheindustry.com/red-brass-vs-yellow-brass/[↩]
6. https://encorerecyclers.com/how-to-identify-brass/[↩][↩]
7. https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/rt0614-identifying-copper-brass-scrap/[↩]
8. https://www.ebay.com/b/Collectible-Brass-Metalware/3630/bn_2311592[↩][↩]
9. https://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques/polish-up-on-collecting-antique-and-vintage-brass[↩][↩]