Price of Bronze per Pound or Ounce + Where to Sell Bronze

bronze plates and cups

Short Answer — Bronze is worth about $1.20 to $1.60 per pound ($0.08 to $0.10 per ounce) when sold for scrap. For more details about bronze scrap prices, see below.

Price of Bronze per Pound or Ounce

The average scrap price of brass is about $1.20 to $1.60 per pound, or $0.08 to $0.10 per ounce, at the time of writing.[1][2]

Note that the exact value of bronze depends on the current scrap market conditions, which can vary by location and fluctuate regularly.

Identifying Bronze

Bronze can be found in plumbing materials like pipes,[3] as well as springs, tools, and decorative items like sculptures.[4]

It’s made mostly of copper and mixed with tin, plus sometimes a smaller percentage of other metals like aluminum.

It has a dark gold-brown color and looks different from brass because you can see faint rings in the metal (in addition to its duller color).[5]

Getting the Best Price

The purer your bronze, the more money it will be worth. If looking for items to scrap, look for bronze that contains more copper.[6][7]

If you already have bronze but are unsure of what type of alloy, consider the following types (ordered from those which are generally worth the most to the least):[8]

  • Aluminum bronze: Used in the petrochemical and water supply industries
  • Manganese bronze: Used for valves, pups, gears, nuts, and bolts
  • Silicon bronze: Used for pumps and valves
  • Bismuth bronze: Found in bearings and historical kitchenware
  • Bearing bronze: Has high lead content and is often used for bearings and bushings
  • Phosphor bronze: Used for electrical components, instruments, washers, and springs
  • Copper-nickel bronze: Used in electronics, ship hulls, pumps, valves, and other marine equipment

Of course, you can also earn more for bronze scrap if you sell a large amount to a scrap yard in bulk; a pile of bronze pipes is will be more attractive to buyers than just a few pipes.

If you have some brass that contains more copper than the rest, be sure to separate it into different piles to get the best price.[6]

For pieces that may be of value on their own rather than for scrap, such as bronze sculptures, you might want to double-check with an art expert and have them appraise it.

You can find art experts at universities, libraries, art galleries, or auction sites. ValueMyStuff and Appraise Art are two easily-accessible online sources for the valuation of things like sculptures.

How Does Bronze Compare to Other Metals?

There are two categories of metal to consider when selling: ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metals contain iron; non-ferrous metals are less commonly recycled, more durable, and worth more money.[9]

You can tell whether your metal is ferrous by trying to stick a magnet to it; non-ferrous metals aren’t magnetic.[10]

Bronze is non-ferrous, so you can usually sell it for more than you would sell something like cast iron — though pure copper is usually the most valuable non-ferrous metal.[11][5]

For information on selling other metals, see our research on scrap brass prices.

Where to Sell Bronze

After confirming that what you want to sell is, in fact, bronze, you can sell it either for scrap or as an individual item (if it has any collectible value or common use).

To find scrap yards near you, use an online locator like iScrap App or Scrap Monster Scrap Yard Finder; you might want to call around to a few different yards in your area to be sure you’re getting the best price.

For collectibles, consider selling the item(s) yourself on eBay’s Collectible Bronze Metalware marketplace.


11 comments


  • Arkeya

    Hi i came across an old very heavy bronze vintage Seth Thomas clock and waa trying to find out about the per pound of bronze if i sell it. Im located in Long Beach,MS.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Arkeya,

      It’s tough for us to say what it might be worth. If you want to get an idea what it might sell for, you can look at similar items on eBay. There are several different models, so I can’t tell you an estimate. To out the current scrap price per pound of bronze, the best thing to do is get in touch with a local scrapp yard.

  • Benita Sutherland

    I have a Wilbert and Sons bronze triune burial vault. Never used. Holds two urns. No idea how to sell this. Any ideas?

  • Elmer

    I have a JFK presidential medal from 1961 that was created by Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro (The pre-design before the Kennedy Half Dollar in 1964). What sort of bronze would be used in coin and medal production like this?

  • Maris

    I have a vintage, bronze castle door ornament. I is a gothic demonic face. It is 1 foot long and 5 inches wide. It is not magnetic.
    When it was found it was covered in black, thick corrosion. Until I removed the corrosive gunk did I discover the face. It weighs 55 lbs. what is the best suggestion you have to find out much more about this piece? Who can I send photos to and get more information?

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Maris,

      This sounds like an interesting ornament you have. While you could scrap it, I think it would be well worth your time to look for buyers who are interested in the piece whole. For that, I’d suggest local vintage stores, antique stores, or used furniture stores. You can also try a searching with Google’s shopping function to get an idea. If you do that and your search doesn’t turn up any buyers, then you can try a scrap yard. Copper looks to be around $1.50 right now, so you could get a good amount of money just scrapping it too.

  • Jane

    I have a double bronze grave marker and I refused to let the park recycle it. Using the marble as a bench in the backyard! Does anyone know what kind of bronze they use for this use? I know IT IS HEAVY, and a magnet will not stick to it.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi, Jane, there’s not one specific bronze alloy that is used in bronze grave markers. The specific alloy will depend on the manufacturer. If you know what company manufactured yours or where it was bought, you could try getting in touch with either the manufacturer or seller to see if they have info on the specific alloy used.

  • lynn

    I got several presidential inaugural medal, they are solid bronze don’t know what the price for the bronze I can get.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Lynn, local scrap yards will tell you their prices. Choose one that offers a high price and within a reasonable distance.

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