Copper Price Per Pound Today
As of October 5, 2026, the copper price is $6.56 per pound, up 1.11% over the past 24 hours. The price is quoted in US dollars per pound and updates continuously as COMEX futures and over-the-counter markets trade. That works out to $0.4501 per troy ounce and $14.47 per kilogram.
Live COMEX copper (HG) price per pound in USD. Real-time futures data with interactive charts, scrap copper benchmarks, and market analysis.
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$6.49 to $6.62Est. dealer bid/ask
$6.56 / $6.57All-Time High
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Copper value by weight
- COMEX quotes copper per pound. 1 pound is 453.592 grams, and a metric ton is 2,204.62 pounds.
- Price per metric ton = price per pound × 2,204.62.
- At the latest spot price of $6.56 per pound, that's $14,472 per metric ton.
| Size | Weight | Copper value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | 0.4536 kg | $6.56 |
| 10 lb | 4.536 kg | $65.64 |
| 100 lb | 45.36 kg | $656.43 |
| 2,000 lb (short ton) | 907.2 kg | $13,129 |
Data Methodology
Where does this price data come from?
How is the copper spot price determined?
When is the copper market open?
Understanding the Copper Price Per Pound
COMEX copper futures (HG) are quoted in US cents per pound, with each contract representing 25,000 pounds of copper. This contract specification makes COMEX the standard pricing benchmark for the North American copper market. A quote of 600.00 means $6.00 per pound; the full contract value at that price is $150,000. The minimum price fluctuation (tick size) is $0.0005 per pound (five-hundredths of a cent), equal to $12.50 per contract. COMEX copper futures are physically deliverable, with approved warehouses located across the United States.
The per-pound pricing convention is primarily a U.S. phenomenon. The rest of the world references the London Metal Exchange, which quotes copper in US dollars per metric tonne. To convert from per-pound to per-metric-tonne pricing, multiply the per-pound price by 2,204.62 (the number of pounds in a metric tonne). Dividing the LME per-tonne price by 2,204.62 yields the per-pound equivalent. This conversion is essential for international traders and buyers comparing pricing across exchanges.
Per-pound pricing is also critical for the scrap copper market, which supplies approximately 35% of global copper demand. Scrap dealers in the United States quote all grades by the pound.
Bare bright copper wire, the highest grade of scrap, typically sells for 78% to 86% of the COMEX spot price per pound. Number 1 copper scrap (clean, unsoldered pipe and tubing) trades at 74% to 81% of spot. Number 2 copper (mixed, painted, or soldered material) fetches 71% to 78%.
Insulated copper wire is valued based on its estimated copper recovery percentage, which varies from 30-85% depending on the thickness and type of insulation. For contractors, electricians, and recyclers, tracking the per-pound copper price is essential for evaluating scrap value and making informed selling decisions.
Data provided by MetalCharts, a free precious metals tracking platform offering real-time prices, interactive charts, historical data, and portfolio tools for gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and copper. Prices sourced from major global exchanges including COMEX, LBMA, and LME, updated continuously during market hours.
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