Bright and shiny — sometimes called “bare bright” — is the premium grade of copper scrap. It refers to clean, uncoated copper wire or bus bar that is completely free of insulation, solder, paint, corrosion, and attachments. The surface must be bright (no green patina or tarnish) and the copper must be a single, solid piece — not braided or tinned. This is the grade that fetches the highest price per kilogram at any scrap yard because it can be remelted directly into new copper products with virtually no processing loss. At endless metals in Auckland, bright and shiny copper consistently delivers the best return of any common scrap material. If you’re stripping cable, this is the grade you’re aiming for.