Insulated copper wire

Grade by insulation thickness relative to conductor. Thick copper under thin jacket (THHN, #1 bare bright) pays $3.40–5.35/lb. Thin strands under fat jacket (Cat5/6, ribbon) pays $0.90–1.00/lb.

Cu 45–78% recovery by grade

eBay typical$1–2per lb

Refiner pays$1.85per lb

Metal in it$2.99per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencehighof the yield figures

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Copper	45–78% recovery by grade	THHN 74–78%, Romex 64–68%, mixed ICW 45–50%, Cat5/6 lowest

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $2.99 per pound of contained metal — Copper 280 g = $2.99. A refiner paying $1.85 returns about 62% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Cold

Strip if your time is worth less than the spread — bare bright is $5.35/lb vs $1.85/lb for insulated. A wire stripper pays for itself fast at volume.

Hazards

💨 Fumes, ventilation and open flame

NEVER burn boards, wire insulation or plastic. Ever.

The common trap

Never burn insulation off. It produces dioxins, it's illegal in most places, and yards discount burnt wire heavily.

Questions

How much gold is in insulated copper wire?

Copper: 45–78% recovery by grade. At current spot that is about $2.99 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify insulated copper wire?

Grade by insulation thickness relative to conductor. Thick copper under thin jacket (THHN, #1 bare bright) pays $3.40–5.35/lb. Thin strands under fat jacket (Cat5/6, ribbon) pays $0.90–1.00/lb.

How do you remove insulated copper wire safely?

Strip if your time is worth less than the spread — bare bright is $5.35/lb vs $1.85/lb for insulated. A wire stripper pays for itself fast at volume.

Related in Other

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