Scrap Jelly Wire Prices in the US
Check the latest market prices for Jelly Wire and find high-paying scrap yards in the US that handle specialized telecommunication copper cable.
Average Jelly Wire Price
- Low (up to $0.90): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($1.03): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($1.30+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 5 live board rates today.
Where to Sell Jelly Wire in in the US
Local buyers in in the US often categorize Jelly Wire differently based on their processing equipment. Our data shows national benchmarks, but we recommend calling ahead to confirm if your yard pays a specific 'Jelly' rate or groups it with other insulated grades.
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶Jelly Wire vs. Standard Insulated Copper Grades
The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.
Historical Price Trends for Jelly Wire
This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.
Jelly Wire: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (COMEX)
Jelly Wire: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $5.767857 | $2.20 | -$3.56 (61.8%) |
| February 2026 | $5.880136 | $2.43 | -$3.45 (58.7%) |
| January 2026 | $5.894887 | $3.54 | -$2.36 (40%) |
| December 2025 | $5.497742 | $2.91 | -$2.58 (47%) |
| November 2025 | $5.064033 | $1.17 | -$3.89 (76.8%) |
| October 2025 | $5.050242 | $1.64 | -$3.41 (67.6%) |
| September 2025 | $4.662367 | $2.33 | -$2.34 (50.1%) |
| August 2025 | $4.477984 | $2.05 | -$2.43 (54.3%) |
| July 2025 | $5.482645 | $3.21 | -$2.27 (41.5%) |
| June 2025 | $4.883233 | $2.37 | -$2.52 (51.5%) |
| May 2025 | $4.686194 | $2.16 | -$2.52 (53.8%) |
| April 2025 | $4.654267 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2025 | $4.919484 | $2.95 | -$1.97 (40%) |
| February 2025 | $4.558107 | $2.74 | -$1.82 (40%) |
| January 2025 | $4.269774 | $2.07 | -$2.20 (51.4%) |
| December 2024 | $4.157855 | $2.50 | -$1.66 (40%) |
| November 2024 | $4.199383 | $2.52 | -$1.68 (40%) |
| October 2024 | $4.431839 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2024 | $4.292683 | $1.62 | -$2.67 (62.2%) |
| August 2024 | $4.121839 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| July 2024 | $4.375242 | $2.63 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| June 2024 | $4.491083 | $2.22 | -$2.28 (50.7%) |
| May 2024 | $4.75471 | $2.85 | -$1.90 (40%) |
| April 2024 | $4.363717 | $2.62 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| March 2024 | $3.983645 | $2.39 | -$1.59 (40%) |
| February 2024 | $3.801776 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| January 2024 | $3.811306 | $2.29 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| December 2023 | $3.871226 | $1.91 | -$1.96 (50.7%) |
| November 2023 | $3.720817 | $2.23 | -$1.49 (40%) |
| October 2023 | $3.609306 | $1.67 | -$1.94 (53.7%) |
| September 2023 | $3.759833 | $1.83 | -$1.93 (51.4%) |
| August 2023 | $3.776097 | $2.27 | -$1.51 (40%) |
| July 2023 | $3.8455 | $2.31 | -$1.54 (40%) |
| June 2023 | $3.804983 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| May 2023 | $3.751484 | $2.25 | -$1.50 (40%) |
| April 2023 | $4.007367 | $2.40 | -$1.60 (40%) |
| March 2023 | $4.02821 | $2.42 | -$1.61 (40%) |
| February 2023 | $4.06475 | $2.44 | -$1.63 (40%) |
| January 2023 | $4.115113 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| December 2022 | $3.820726 | $2.29 | -$1.53 (40%) |
| November 2022 | $3.674017 | $1.77 | -$1.90 (51.8%) |
| October 2022 | $3.430419 | $2.06 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| September 2022 | $3.455283 | $2.07 | -$1.38 (40%) |
| August 2022 | $3.616468 | $1.77 | -$1.85 (51.1%) |
| July 2022 | $3.4195 | $2.05 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| June 2022 | $4.118667 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| May 2022 | $4.257274 | $1.61 | -$2.65 (62.3%) |
| April 2022 | $4.649533 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2022 | $4.707694 | $2.83 | -$1.88 (40%) |
| February 2022 | $4.502304 | $2.70 | -$1.80 (40%) |
| January 2022 | $4.4345 | $2.21 | -$2.23 (50.2%) |
| December 2021 | $4.332226 | $2.37 | -$1.97 (45.4%) |
| November 2021 | $4.367567 | $2.38 | -$1.99 (45.6%) |
| October 2021 | $4.432371 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2021 | $4.2864 | $2.13 | -$2.16 (50.4%) |
| August 2021 | $4.302984 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| July 2021 | $4.347452 | $2.61 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| June 2021 | $4.388783 | $2.13 | -$2.25 (51.4%) |
| May 2021 | $4.618871 | $2.77 | -$1.85 (40%) |
| April 2021 | $4.192633 | $1.99 | -$2.20 (52.6%) |
| March 2021 | $4.084726 | $2.45 | -$1.63 (40%) |
| February 2021 | $3.861 | $2.32 | -$1.54 (40%) |
| January 2021 | $3.607435 | $1.80 | -$1.81 (50.1%) |
| December 2020 | $3.546903 | $2.13 | -$1.42 (40%) |
| November 2020 | $3.21755 | $1.93 | -$1.29 (40%) |
| October 2020 | $3.060177 | $1.50 | -$1.56 (50.9%) |
| September 2020 | $3.0352 | $1.82 | -$1.21 (40%) |
| August 2020 | $2.909726 | $1.42 | -$1.49 (51.2%) |
| July 2020 | $2.867581 | $1.72 | -$1.15 (40%) |
| June 2020 | $2.5983 | $1.56 | -$1.04 (40%) |
| May 2020 | $2.377403 | $1.43 | -$0.95 (40%) |
| April 2020 | $2.28595 | $1.37 | -$0.91 (40%) |
| March 2020 | $2.356968 | $1.41 | -$0.94 (40%) |
| February 2020 | $2.574707 | $1.54 | -$1.03 (40.1%) |
| January 2020 | $2.759935 | $1.66 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| December 2019 | $2.774145 | $1.67 | -$1.11 (39.9%) |
| November 2019 | $2.660717 | $1.60 | -$1.06 (40%) |
| October 2019 | $2.621613 | $1.28 | -$1.34 (51.1%) |
| September 2019 | $2.615533 | $1.57 | -$1.05 (40%) |
| August 2019 | $2.554917 | $1.43 | -$1.12 (43.9%) |
Jelly Wire Scrap Price History — Daily Data
A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.
| Date | Avg price (per lb) | Change | Range (Low/High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4/2026 | $1.03 / lb | +$0.10 | $0.90 - $1.30 |
| 2/17/2026 | $0.93 / lb | -$0.30 | $0.80 - $1.13 |
| 12/6/2025 | $1.23 / lb | +$0.23 | $1.23 - $1.23 |
| 11/29/2025 | $1.00 / lb | -$0.16 | $1.00 - $1.00 |
| 11/20/2025 | $1.16 / lb | +$0.36 | $1.16 - $1.16 |
| 11/11/2025 | $0.80 / lb | -$0.27 | $0.80 - $0.80 |
| 11/5/2025 | $1.07 / lb | -$0.16 | $1.07 - $1.07 |
| 11/3/2025 | $1.23 / lb | +$0.43 | $1.23 - $1.23 |
| 10/24/2025 | $0.80 / lb | -$0.20 | $0.80 - $0.80 |
| 10/11/2025 | $1.00 / lb | -$0.03 | $1.00 - $1.00 |
| 9/18/2025 | $1.03 / lb | +$0.33 | $0.95 - $1.10 |
| 8/24/2025 | $0.70 / lb | +$0.25 | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 8/23/2025 | $0.45 / lb | -$0.15 | $0.35 - $0.55 |
| 7/1/2025 | $0.60 / lb | +$0.25 | $0.60 - $0.60 |
| 5/28/2025 | $0.35 / lb | -$0.25 | $0.35 - $0.35 |
| 1/9/2025 | $0.60 / lb | -$0.10 | $0.60 - $0.60 |
| 9/26/2024 | $0.70 / lb | — no change | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 9/19/2024 | $0.70 / lb | -$0.20 | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 6/18/2024 | $0.90 / lb | +$0.20 | $0.90 - $0.90 |
| 12/16/2023 | $0.70 / lb | +$0.45 | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 10/10/2023 | $0.25 / lb | -$0.35 | $0.25 - $0.25 |
| 9/30/2023 | $0.60 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.60 - $0.60 |
| 11/27/2022 | $0.55 / lb | -$0.05 | $0.55 - $0.55 |
| 8/12/2022 | $0.60 / lb | -$0.10 | $0.60 - $0.60 |
| 5/23/2022 | $0.70 / lb | — no change | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 5/14/2022 | $0.70 / lb | -$0.23 | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 1/25/2022 | $0.93 / lb | +$0.18 | $0.88 - $0.98 |
| 12/4/2021 | $0.75 / lb | -$0.11 | $0.75 - $0.75 |
| 9/23/2021 | $0.86 / lb | +$0.15 | $0.81 - $0.91 |
| 6/20/2021 | $0.71 / lb | -$0.25 | $0.66 - $0.76 |
| 4/21/2021 | $0.96 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.91 - $1.01 |
| 4/19/2021 | $0.91 / lb | +$0.15 | $0.86 - $0.96 |
| 1/22/2021 | $0.76 / lb | +$0.18 | $0.71 - $0.81 |
| 10/24/2020 | $0.58 / lb | +$0.15 | $0.53 - $0.63 |
| 8/14/2020 | $0.43 / lb | -$0.01 | $0.38 - $0.48 |
| 10/22/2019 | $0.44 / lb | +$0.08 | $0.44 - $0.44 |
Maximizing Profits on Jelly Wire: The Veteran's Guide
Jelly Wire, known in the industry as PIC (Plastic Insulated Cable) or simply 'icky-pic,' is a staple for scrappers who dismantle old telecommunications infrastructure. This cable is filled with a petroleum-based waterproofing gel designed to keep moisture out of the copper pairs. While it contains high-quality copper, the sticky 'jelly' makes it a headache for processors, which is why yards typically offer between $0.90 and $1.30 per pound. Our current data shows the national average hovering around $1.03.
Yard Pro Tip: Never mix Jelly Wire with your clean #1 Insulated Wire or #2 Insulated Wire. The gel is highly contaminant; if it gets on your clean wire, the yard will likely downgrade the entire load to the lowest possible tier, costing you roughly $0.65 per pound. Keep this sticky stuff in its own dedicated bucket or gaylord box.
Identification and Smart Sorting Tactics
Identifying Jelly Wire is usually a sensory experience—if you touch it and your hands get covered in a clear, sticky, or waxy substance, you've found it. It is commonly found in large multi-pair underground telephone lines. Most yards in in the US will price this slightly below standard communication wire because the gel adds 'dead weight' that isn't copper and requires specialized cleaning during the recycling process.
| Metal Grade | Copper Content (Est.) | Typical Pricing Level |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Insulated Wire | 75-80% | Highest Tier |
| Jelly Wire (PIC) | 50-60% | Mid-Tier |
| Christmas Lights | 20-30% | Lowest Tier |
Mistakes That Cause Downgrades
The most common mistake is failing to remove the outer lead or steel shielding often found on armored versions of this cable. If you bring in 'armored' jelly wire without stripping the outer jacket, expect to get paid closer to $0.60 to $1.20/lb rates. Always ensure you are comparing local offers in in the US against the COMEX spot price, which usually sits about 80.8% above what you'll see at the scrap yard window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do scrap yards pay less for Jelly Wire?
The petroleum gel (the 'jelly') is considered a contaminant. It adds weight that isn't metal and can gum up the chopping blades used in commercial wire granulators. Because of the extra maintenance and lower yield, the average price stays around $1.03.
Can I strip Jelly Wire to get #2 Copper?
Technically yes, but it is a messy, miserable job. The gel is difficult to remove from the individual strands. Unless you have a way to chemically or thermally degrease the copper, most veterans find it more efficient to sell it as-is in the jelly category rather than fighting the mess.
What happens if I mix Jelly Wire with Christmas lights?
You would be losing significant money. Selling Jelly Wire at Christmas Lights prices results in a loss of approximately $0.65 per pound. Even with the gel, the copper recovery in PIC cable is much higher than the thin, low-grade copper found in holiday string lights.
Jelly Wire scrap prices — find in your state on the map
The map shows states where we have Jelly Wire scrap prices. Click a state on the map or use the links below to see current Jelly Wire prices in that region.