Red Brass Scrap Prices in South Carolina
National averages for Red Brass are currently hitting around $3.98 per pound. Find out what local yards in South Carolina are paying and learn how to prep your valves and meters to maximize your payout at the scale.
Average Red Brass Price
- Low (up to $2.68): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($2.80): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($3.14+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 6 live board rates today.
Top Scrap Yards Buying Red Brass in South Carolina
Don't just hand over your heavy brass to the first buyer you find. Check the yards below to compare what buyers are currently offering for Red Brass in South Carolina. Remember to call ahead to verify their grading rules, as prices shift daily based on the COMEX.
CMC Recycling
CMC Recycling
CMC Recycling
CMC Recycling
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶Red Brass vs. Other Brass 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.
Red Brass Price Trends & History
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.
Red Brass: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (COMEX)
Red Brass: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $5.764324 | $2.98 | -$2.78 (48.3%) |
| February 2026 | $5.880136 | $3.10 | -$2.78 (47.2%) |
| January 2026 | $5.894887 | $3.54 | -$2.36 (40%) |
| December 2025 | $5.497742 | $2.91 | -$2.59 (47.1%) |
| November 2025 | $5.064033 | $3.04 | -$2.03 (40%) |
| October 2025 | $5.050242 | $3.03 | -$2.02 (40%) |
| September 2025 | $4.662367 | $2.80 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| August 2025 | $4.477984 | $2.69 | -$1.79 (40%) |
| July 2025 | $5.482645 | $3.05 | -$2.43 (44.3%) |
| June 2025 | $4.883233 | $2.79 | -$2.09 (42.8%) |
| May 2025 | $4.686194 | $2.62 | -$2.06 (44.1%) |
| April 2025 | $4.654267 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2025 | $4.919484 | $2.70 | -$2.22 (45.1%) |
| February 2025 | $4.558107 | $2.74 | -$1.82 (40%) |
| January 2025 | $4.269774 | $2.56 | -$1.71 (40%) |
| 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 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| August 2024 | $4.121839 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| July 2024 | $4.375242 | $2.63 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| June 2024 | $4.491083 | $2.70 | -$1.80 (40%) |
| 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 | $2.22 | -$1.58 (41.7%) |
| January 2024 | $3.811306 | $2.29 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| December 2023 | $3.871226 | $2.32 | -$1.55 (40%) |
| November 2023 | $3.720817 | $2.23 | -$1.49 (40%) |
| October 2023 | $3.609306 | $1.96 | -$1.65 (45.8%) |
| September 2023 | $3.759833 | $2.20 | -$1.56 (41.5%) |
| 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 | $2.16 | -$1.87 (46.4%) |
| February 2023 | $4.06475 | $2.44 | -$1.63 (40%) |
| January 2023 | $4.115113 | $2.30 | -$1.81 (44%) |
| December 2022 | $3.820726 | $2.29 | -$1.53 (40%) |
| November 2022 | $3.674017 | $2.20 | -$1.47 (40%) |
| October 2022 | $3.430419 | $2.06 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| September 2022 | $3.455283 | $2.07 | -$1.38 (40%) |
| August 2022 | $3.616468 | $2.06 | -$1.56 (43.2%) |
| July 2022 | $3.4195 | $2.03 | -$1.39 (40.7%) |
| June 2022 | $4.118667 | $2.45 | -$1.66 (40.4%) |
| May 2022 | $4.257274 | $2.46 | -$1.80 (42.2%) |
| 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 | $2.29 | -$2.15 (48.4%) |
| December 2021 | $4.332226 | $2.47 | -$1.87 (43.1%) |
| November 2021 | $4.367567 | $2.62 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| October 2021 | $4.432371 | $2.43 | -$2.00 (45.2%) |
| September 2021 | $4.2864 | $2.38 | -$1.91 (44.6%) |
| August 2021 | $4.302984 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| July 2021 | $4.347452 | $2.61 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| June 2021 | $4.388783 | $2.63 | -$1.76 (40%) |
| May 2021 | $4.618871 | $2.77 | -$1.85 (40%) |
| April 2021 | $4.192633 | $2.30 | -$1.90 (45.2%) |
| March 2021 | $4.084726 | $2.45 | -$1.63 (40%) |
| February 2021 | $3.861 | $2.22 | -$1.64 (42.4%) |
| January 2021 | $3.607435 | $2.15 | -$1.46 (40.3%) |
| December 2020 | $3.546903 | $2.13 | -$1.42 (40%) |
| November 2020 | $3.21755 | $1.93 | -$1.29 (40%) |
| October 2020 | $3.060177 | $1.84 | -$1.22 (40%) |
| September 2020 | $3.0352 | $1.82 | -$1.21 (40%) |
| August 2020 | $2.909726 | $1.75 | -$1.16 (40%) |
| 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 | $2.66275 | $1.63 | -$1.04 (39%) |
Red Brass 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 | $2.03 / lb | -$0.77 | $2.03 - $2.03 |
| 2/17/2026 | $2.80 / lb | +$1.07 | $2.68 - $3.14 |
| 12/17/2025 | $1.73 / lb | -$0.19 | $1.73 - $1.73 |
| 7/12/2025 | $1.92 / lb | -$0.56 | $1.92 - $1.92 |
| 7/11/2025 | $2.48 / lb | — no change | $2.48 - $2.48 |
| 6/30/2025 | $2.48 / lb | +$0.40 | $2.48 - $2.48 |
| 5/24/2025 | $2.08 / lb | -$0.02 | $2.08 - $2.08 |
| 3/28/2025 | $2.10 / lb | +$0.01 | $2.10 - $2.10 |
| 2/29/2024 | $2.09 / lb | +$0.72 | $2.00 - $2.28 |
| 10/31/2023 | $1.37 / lb | -$0.63 | $1.37 - $1.37 |
| 9/30/2023 | $2.00 / lb | +$0.60 | $2.00 - $2.00 |
| 3/25/2023 | $1.40 / lb | -$0.50 | $1.40 - $1.40 |
| 1/28/2023 | $1.90 / lb | +$0.18 | $1.90 - $1.90 |
| 8/12/2022 | $1.72 / lb | -$0.28 | $1.30 - $1.97 |
| 7/6/2022 | $2.00 / lb | -$0.17 | $2.00 - $2.00 |
| 5/20/2022 | $2.17 / lb | +$0.20 | $2.00 - $2.34 |
| 1/29/2022 | $1.97 / lb | +$0.07 | $1.90 - $2.12 |
| 1/8/2022 | $1.90 / lb | +$0.13 | $1.90 - $1.90 |
| 12/31/2021 | $1.77 / lb | -$0.69 | $1.77 - $1.77 |
| 12/28/2021 | $2.46 / lb | +$0.66 | $2.46 - $2.46 |
| 10/28/2021 | $1.80 / lb | — no change | $1.80 - $1.80 |
| 9/25/2021 | $1.80 / lb | -$0.77 | $1.80 - $1.80 |
| 4/22/2021 | $2.57 / lb | +$0.87 | $2.57 - $2.57 |
| 4/21/2021 | $1.70 / lb | -$0.47 | $1.69 - $1.70 |
| 2/26/2021 | $2.17 / lb | +$0.04 | $2.17 - $2.17 |
| 1/16/2021 | $2.13 / lb | +$0.10 | $2.11 - $2.15 |
Cashing In: The Truth About Red Brass Prices
Red brass is a top-tier score for any serious scrapper. Packing a high copper content (typically around 85%), it commands significantly better prices than your standard yellow brass. Our data shows that scrap yards South Carolina and across the country are currently paying anywhere from $3.60 to $4.38 per pound for clean red brass. You will usually find this heavy metal in older plumbing fixtures, water meters, industrial valves, and pump housings. But if you think you can just toss a greasy, steel-contaminated valve onto the scale and get top dollar, you are going to lose money.
The Prep: Identifying and Cleaning Your Red Brass
The difference between red and yellow brass can be tough to spot when it is covered in decades of grime or patina. Red brass has a distinct reddish tint due to the high copper content, while yellow brass looks more washed out and yellowish-green. If you leave steel bolts or iron handles attached to your red brass valves, the yard will heavily penalize you.
Yard Pro Tip: Keep a metal file handy in your truck. If you aren't sure if a crusty valve is red or yellow brass, hit it with the file. A deep, reddish-orange scratch means you have got the good stuff. More importantly, check every single red brass water meter or valve with a strong magnet to catch hidden steel screws or iron handles. A single steel bolt will downgrade your premium Red Brass!
Stop Bleeding Money at the Scale
Mixing your grades is the fastest way to shrink your ticket. If you leave iron or steel attached to your clean red brass, the buyer will downgrade the entire load to Irony Brass. That lazy mistake will cost you about $2.87 per pound in lost value. Take the time to wrench or cut off those steel fittings. While you are at it, sort out any Brass Breakage, Brass Shells, or Brass EDM Wire into their own respective buckets. To give you an idea of the market, Brass Breakage usually pays $1.25 to $1.35/lb, so mixing them together just confuses the scale master and hurts your bottom line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Red Brass pay more than Yellow Brass?
Red brass contains significantly more copper—usually around 85% compared to the 60-65% found in yellow brass. Because scrap pricing is heavily tied to the copper content and the COMEX market, buyers pay a premium for red brass. It trades at about 47.3% below spot copper prices, depending on the yard.
What happens if my Red Brass has paint or chrome plating on it?
Chrome-plated red brass is common in older bathroom fixtures. Most scrap yards will still buy it, but they might downgrade it slightly compared to perfectly clean, bare red brass. You can expect a price closer to the lower end of the national average, but it still beats standard yellow brass.
Are water meters always Red Brass?
Older water meters are almost always cast from red brass, making them incredibly heavy and valuable. However, many modern meters are made from plastic or lower-grade alloys. Always check with a file, and remember to remove the plastic faces, glass dials, and any iron bottom plates before hitting the scale to secure the $3.98 average payout.
Red Brass scrap prices in South Carolina on the map
The map shows cities in South Carolina with Red Brass scrap prices. Click a marker or pick a city in the list below to see Red Brass prices in that location.