Copper Price Today
Markets closed: precious metals don’t trade on weekends, so prices show Friday, Nov 6’s close. Live updates resume Sunday evening (ET). Last checked ET
Copper is trading at $6.3515 per pound (−0.0803 today). In the US copper is quoted per pound; overseas it is usually quoted per metric ton.
Copper spot price per pound (USD)
$6.3515
▼ −$0.0803 (-1.25%) vs previous close
Copper price chart (USD per pound)
Over the past 30 days, copper moved from $6.618 to $6.352 per pound (-4.03%), with a high of $6.702 and a low of $6.352 (daily closes).
Copper price by weight today
| Weight | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1 pound (lb) | $6.3515 |
| 1 kilogram | $14.0027 |
| 100 pounds | $635.15 |
| 1 metric ton | $14,003 |
| 1 short ton (2,000 lb) | $12,703 |
Spot price of pure copper. Coins, bars and jewelry sell above spot (a premium); dealers buy below it.
Copper market summary
| Period | Price then | Change to today |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (Oct 30, 2026) | $6.5650 | ▼ -3.25% |
| 1 month (Oct 6, 2026) | $6.5686 | ▼ -3.30% |
| 3 months (Aug 6, 2026) | $6.4793 | ▼ -1.97% |
| 6 months (May 6, 2026) | $5.9866 | ▲ +6.09% |
| 1 year (Nov 6, 2025) | $4.8555 | ▲ +30.81% |
| 5 years (Nov 1, 2021) | $4.4130 | ▲ +43.93% |
| 10 years (Nov 1, 2016) | $2.4725 | ▲ +156.89% |
Copper and the penny
Pennies made before mid-1982 are 95% copper and weigh 3.11 grams, so each contains about 2.95 grams of copper – about $0.0420 of metal at today’s prices. Pennies from 1982 on are copper-plated zinc and worth about $0.0107. Melting cents and nickels for profit is prohibited by federal rules.
Penny and nickel melt values
| Coin | Years | Metal content | Melt value | × face |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Flying Eagle & Indian Head Copper-Nickel Cent | 1856–1864 | 4.67 g · 88% copper | $0.0667 | 6.7× |
 Indian Head Penny (bronze) | 1864–1909 | 3.11 g · 95% copper | $0.0420 | 4.2× |
 Lincoln Wheat Penny | 1909–1958 | 3.11 g · 95% copper | $0.0420 | 4.2× |
 1943 Steel Penny | 1943 | 2.7 g · Zinc-coated steel | $0.0001 | 0.0× |
 Lincoln Memorial Copper Penny | 1959–1982 | 3.11 g · 95% copper | $0.0420 | 4.2× |
 Lincoln Zinc Penny | 1982–present | 2.5 g · Copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc | $0.0107 | 1.1× |
 Shield Nickel | 1866–1883 | 5 g · 75% copper | $0.0729 | 1.5× |
 Liberty Head “V” Nickel | 1883–1912 | 5 g · 75% copper | $0.0729 | 1.5× |
 Buffalo Nickel | 1913–1938 | 5 g · 75% copper | $0.0729 | 1.5× |
 Jefferson Nickel | 1938–present (except 1942–1945 silver issues) | 5 g · 75% copper | $0.0729 | 1.5× |
 Jefferson War Nickel (35% silver) | 1942–1945 | 0.0563 oz silver | $2.97 | 59.4× |
Melt value = metal content × today’s spot price. It is not what a dealer pays (usually less) or a collector’s price (often more).
Nickel and zinc prices
Nickel and zinc don’t have a free live price feed, so we use the latest monthly average world price: nickel $7.4044 per pound and zinc $1.8237 per pound (September 2026). These only affect nickels, clad coins and pennies by fractions of a cent.
Base metal prices
Scrap copper prices
Scrap yards pay well below the exchange price, and how much depends on grade: clean bare-bright wire fetches the most, while insulated wire and mixed scrap fetch much less. Call local yards for their daily rates.
Copper price: last 10 trading days
| Date | Close (USD/lb) | High | Low | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 6, 2026 | $6.3515 | $6.3515 | $6.3515 | ▼ -1.25% |
| Thu, Nov 5, 2026 | $6.4318 | $6.4318 | $6.4318 | ▼ -0.34% |
| Wed, Nov 4, 2026 | $6.4539 | $6.4539 | $6.4539 | ▼ -0.66% |
| Tue, Nov 3, 2026 | $6.4967 | $6.4967 | $6.4967 | ▼ -0.97% |
| Mon, Nov 2, 2026 | $6.5604 | $6.5604 | $6.5604 | ▼ -0.07% |
| Fri, Oct 30, 2026 | $6.5650 | $6.5650 | $6.5650 | ▼ -0.70% |
| Thu, Oct 29, 2026 | $6.6115 | $6.6115 | $6.6115 | ▼ -0.28% |
| Wed, Oct 28, 2026 | $6.6301 | $6.6301 | $6.6301 | ▲ +0.49% |
| Tue, Oct 27, 2026 | $6.5978 | $6.5978 | $6.5978 | ▲ +0.85% |
| Mon, Oct 26, 2026 | $6.5420 | $6.5420 | $6.5420 | ▲ +0.49% |
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Melt values are estimates based on spot prices and official coin specifications. Dealers usually pay less than melt; rare coins can be worth far more to collectors.