© 2026 Endless Holdings Limited® · Licensed Secondhand Dealer · Web Development by Graphic Detail NZ Ltd.
Endless buys all copper grades, from bright and shiny through to irony aluminium copper radiators, at both Auckland yards. Whether you are a sparkie stripping cable, a plumber clearing out hot water cylinders, an auto dismantler with radiators to move, or a homeowner with a bag of offcuts, we grade your material on the spot and pay you the same day. Insulated cable is its own category, so see our copper cable page for insulated cable grades. Prices are published weekly and tracked against the London Metal Exchange (LME).
Visit either our scrap metal Onehunga yard or our Wairau Valley branch on the North Shore, and our team will take you through how your copper scrap price per kg is calculated.
Priced weekly against LME copper. Graded on the spot. Paid same day.
Copper Scrap Grades, What We Pay
Copper is the benchmark red metal and the one other metals are priced against. It is the highest-value non-ferrous commodity most New Zealand households and tradies ever handle. Bright and shiny sits at roughly 99% copper and commands the best price on the yard. As soon as contamination enters the picture (solder, tinning, paint, brass fittings, steel brackets, aluminium fins, or insulation), the grade drops and so does the price. Knowing which grade your material falls into is key to getting cash for scrap copper Auckland at top rates on the scales.
SiteWise Gold certified
Toitū carbon reduce certified
AMR & ReMA member
Licensed secondhand dealer
Bright & Shiny — Premium Copper Scrap Grade
bright & shiny
conditions
- non-magnetic
- each strand thicker than 1.3mm (16 gauge)
- bright & shiny
- bare & clean
- no contamination:
- insulation
- solder / tinning
- paint / plating
- tarnish
- connectors
- attachments
examples
- stripped cable
- mains conductor
how condition affects your pay day
Same piece of thick-strand copper cable can fall into three different grades depending on its surface condition. Bright & shiny pays the most. Tarnished and painted both downgrade. Here are the rules we apply at the scales.
top grade
bright & shiny
conditions
- each strand 1.3mm or thicker (16 gauge)
- bright orange-red finish, no oxidation
- no insulation, paint, solder, or tinning
- clean stripped cable conductor only
- ~99% Cu — the benchmark
bought as bright & shiny
tarnished → copper #1
conditions
- each strand 1.3mm or thicker (16 gauge)
- same thick-strand cable, dull / dark brown finish
- aged or weathered surface oxidation
- no paint, plating, solder, or insulation
- ~98% Cu — tarnish drops you one rung, not two
bought as copper #1
painted/burnt → copper #2
conditions
- each strand 1.3mm or thicker (16 gauge)
- paint, primer, spray, burnt or surface coating
- tinned conductor (silver coating)
- conductor's fine — surface contamination is the issue
- ~98% Cu core — surface drops the grade, not the metal
bought as copper #2
the second thing that sets your grade
Condition is only half of it — thickness sets the rest. Measure a single strand, not the bundle: at 1.3mm (16 gauge) or thicker, clean bare wire grades as bright & shiny — our top copper grade. Thinner than that and the same clean copper lands in copper #1, or copper #2 if it’s tarnished or painted — same metal, different rate.
Copper #1 — Clean Copper Scrap Grade
copper #1
conditions
- non-magnetic
- solids — bare, bright finish
- wire — bare and uncoated (each strand under 1.3mm)
- no contamination:
- insulation
- solder / tinning
- paint / plating
- brass / ferrous attachments
examples
- copper tube / pipe
- plumbing offcuts
- copper sheet
- bus bar
- thin clean wire
Copper #2 — Scrap Grade
copper #2
conditions
- non-magnetic
- solids — tarnish, oxide, light solder, tinning or minor paint
- wire — painted, tinned or plated (each strand under 1.3mm)
- no contamination:
- insulation
- non-ferrous attachments
- plastic / rubber
- ferrous attachments
examples
- copper pipe (used)
- roofing / guttering
- kettles / boilers
- weathered sheet
- heating coils
- painted wire
- tinned wire
- thin coated wire
Copper Domestic — Scrap Grade
copper domestic
conditions
- majority copper by weight
- may contain:
- brazed joints
- small brass fittings
- insulation wrap
- no contamination:
- steel brackets & straps
examples
- bare hot water cylinders
- solar coils
- mixed plumbing
- heating copper
- sheet w/ steel
- tank coils
Copper Hot Water Cylinders — Scrap Copper Grade
copper hot water cylinders
conditions
- unstripped copper internal cylinder
- unstripped cylinders are priced by unit size, paid at the copper domestic rate on the copper they hold:
- 135L ≈ 8kg copper domestic
- 180L ≈ 10kg copper domestic
- no contamination:
- steel frames or attachments
examples
- hot water cylinders
- copper immersion cylinders
- lagged cylinders
Copper Radiators — Scrap Grade
copper radiators
conditions
- non-magnetic
- copper tubes with copper fins
- no contamination:
- ferrous attachments
- aluminium fins
- brass end-caps
- plastic
examples
- vintage car cores
- heavy truck rads
- heat exchangers
- marine engine cores
- stripped rad cores
- industrial cores
ready to sell your copper?
find your nearest yardCopper Brass Radiators — Scrap Grade
copper brass radiators
conditions
- non-magnetic
- brass tubes and ends with copper fins
- no contamination:
- ferrous attachments
- aluminium fins
- plastic
examples
- brass-tank radiator cores
- copper-fin brass rads
- vintage car cores
- heat exchanger cores
Aluminium Copper Radiators — Scrap Grade
aluminium copper radiators
conditions
- non-magnetic
- copper tubes with aluminium fins
- no contamination:
- ferrous attachments
- dirt or plastics
examples
- a/c condenser coils
- heat pump coils
- modern car rads
- chiller coils
- refrig coils
- HVAC coils
Irony Aluminium Copper Radiators — Scrap Grade
irony aluminium copper radiators
conditions
- copper tubes with aluminium fins
- may contain:
- steel brackets
- mounting hardware
- plastic brackets
examples
- rads w/ steel
- fridge condensers
- HVAC w/ shroud
- marine rads w/ steel
still not sure what you've got?
Send us a pic and we'll tell you exactly which copper grade it is and what it's worth. No obligation, no pressure. Just a fast answer from our grading team.
the recycling process
how copper is recycled
Copper is one of the most recyclable metals on the planet. It can be melted down and reused endlessly without losing its conductivity or mechanical properties. Here's what happens to your copper once it arrives at our yard.
1
collection & sorting
Your copper arrives at our yard and our team sorts it by grade, separating bright & shiny from tarnished, radiators from domestic, and insulated cable from bare wire to ensure each batch meets export specifications.
2
grading & inspection
Each piece is inspected for contamination. Solder, tinning, insulation, ferrous attachments, and non-copper metals are flagged. Proper grading ensures you're paid for the highest grade your material qualifies for.
3
processing & granulation
Bulk copper is consolidated and packed. Insulated cable is processed through our Onehunga cable granulator, which strips the insulation and recovers the copper for export.
4
export & smelting
Containers are shipped to international smelters where copper is melted at ~1085°C and recast into cathode, rod, or billet — ready for a second life in new wiring, plumbing, electronics, and infrastructure.
maximise your return
how to prepare your copper
A little preparation goes a long way. Presenting clean, sorted copper means better grades, faster processing, and higher payouts. Here's how to get the most from your scrap.
- Sort by grade: keep bright & shiny and Copper #1 separate from tarnished or tinned copper (Cu #2). Mixing the two downgrades the bright material to #2 pricing.
- Strip where it's worthwhile: insulated copper wire pays as cable (priced on recovery). Stripped bare wire pays at #1 — but only if you strip it cleanly. Read our strip-or-don't decision guide before you start cutting.
- Remove ferrous attachments: steel screws, clips, brackets, and mounting hardware push copper into "irony" grades. Pull them off where you can.
- Keep radiators sorted: all-copper rad cores (with no steel tanks) are paid as "copper radiators". Assemblies with steel are "irony". Aluminium-finned copper-tube rads are a separate grade entirely.
- Don't burn the insulation: burnt copper is downgraded — the heat damages the metal surface and the smoke contains hazardous compounds. Our cable granulator makes burning unnecessary anyway.
- Use a magnet: copper itself is non-magnetic. If a magnet sticks to your piece, you've got steel attached — a quick, free way to check for contamination before you bring it in.
Pro tip: If you're a sparkie, plumber, or auto dismantler handling regular volume, ask our team about dedicated bins and collection. We'll help you set up a sorting system on site that maximises your return on every load.
sustainability
why recycle copper
Every kilogram of copper recycled is a kilogram that doesn't need to be mined. Copper mining is energy-intensive, water-hungry, and scars landscapes. Recycled copper delivers the same metallurgical performance at a fraction of the environmental cost.
85%
less energy
Recycling copper uses up to 85% less energy than extracting and refining virgin copper from ore, according to the International Copper Association.
∞
endlessly recyclable
Copper can be melted and recast infinitely without any loss of conductivity, strength, or quality. Every tonne we recover stays in circulation.
0
new ore mined
Every kilo of copper you recycle is a kilo that never has to be dug, crushed or smelted from the ground — it goes straight back into new wiring, plumbing and electronics.
By choosing copper recycling near me with endless, your scrap becomes a new cathode rather than ending up as landfill or ore-pit waste, supporting a circular economy across Aotearoa.
what we pay
copper pricing
The scrap copper price changes weekly based on the LME, the NZD/USD exchange rate, and local supply and demand. Our copper rates are updated weekly and published per yard, so you always know what your material is worth before you drive in.
grade & purity
Bright & shiny commands the best price, with Copper #1 just below it. Tarnished or tinned copper drops to #2. Domestic and radiator grades are priced below that to cover sorting and processing costs.
LME copper price
Copper is the benchmark non-ferrous commodity. When the LME copper price rises, your payout rises with it. We track LME weekly.
NZD/USD exchange rate
Copper is priced globally in USD. A weaker New Zealand dollar lifts local scrap prices; a stronger dollar pulls them back.
volume & consistency
Larger, well-sorted, regular loads attract premium pricing. Talk to our team about contract rates for consistent copper supply from trade and commercial sources.
For today's copper prices at your nearest yard, visit our copper pricing page or call our team directly. We provide instant quotes on the phone or on the scales — no obligation.
still have questions?
Find what you’re looking for in the FAQs below.
Copper prices change every week with the LME copper price and the NZD/USD exchange rate, and they depend on grade — bright & shiny pays the most, then Copper #1, #2, domestic and radiator grades. For today's rate check our copper pricing page or call 0800 44 88 99. We grade on the spot and pay the same day.
It's quoted per kilogram and moves weekly with the global copper market and the exchange rate. Rather than a fixed figure, we publish current per-kg rates per yard — see the pricing page or call for today's number before you drive in.
Bare bright — what we call bright & shiny — is clean, bare, uncoated thick copper wire and clean copper sheet at roughly 99% copper — with bright & shiny wire at a minimum of 16 gauge (1.3mm) per strand — and no insulation, solder, tinning, paint or tarnish. It goes straight to the smelter with no processing, so it's the top-paying copper grade.
Copper #1 is clean copper with a bright finish and no attachments, coating or solder — clean pipe, tube and heavier copper included. Copper #2 is still majority copper (around 96%+) but tarnished, tinned, lightly soldered or used — think old pipe, roofing and kettles. Both pay well, but #1 is the premium grade.
The biggest copper sources around the home are hot water cylinders, copper plumbing pipe, electrical cable, electric motors, radiators and old transformers. Sorting the clean bright copper out of these lifts your payout.
Copper is the reddish metal — bright when clean, browning as it tarnishes. Brass is a copper-zinc alloy and looks yellow or gold; it's worth less than clean copper, so we grade and pay them separately. A quick check: filed or scratched clean, copper stays reddish while brass shows yellow. Not sure? Bring it in and we'll grade it on the spot.
No — burnt copper is downgraded, not upgraded. Burning damages the metal surface, the smoke is hazardous, and it's generally illegal under Auckland air-quality rules. Bring your copper in as it is and we'll grade it — there's simply no upside to burning.
Sort by grade and keep bright & shiny separate from tarnished or tinned copper, remove steel and brass attachments, and don't mix radiators or domestic copper in with clean wire. Clean, sorted, single-grade copper always pays more than a mixed load.
endless has two yards — Onehunga and Wairau Valley. No appointment needed: drive in during business hours, we weigh and grade on the spot, and pay the same day.
Yes — copper can be melted and recast endlessly without losing quality, using up to 85% less energy than mining new ore. Your scrap comes back as new cathode, rod and wire.
Yes — bring photo ID. As a licensed secondhand dealer we record metal transactions, which also helps deter theft.
ready to sell your copper?
call us, email us, or drop into either yard. We grade on the spot and pay same day.