What is tinned copper wire?

Copper wire coated in a thin silvery layer of tin or solder, common in electronics, marine and older wiring. It looks silvery but a cut end shows copper beneath.

How can I tell tinned copper from aluminium?

Cut or file the wire: tinned copper shows copper colour beneath the silver coating, while aluminium is silver all the way through and much lighter.

Should tinned wire be kept separate from bright wire?

Yes. Mixed together, the whole lot grades as tinned. Two minutes of sorting protects the bright wire premium.

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Tinned Copper vs Bright Wire: What's the Difference?

Silvery wire, copper heart — how to spot tinning, what it costs you, and the two-minute sort that protects your price.

26 September 2026 · By OJ Metal Recycling

The Short Answer

Same Copper, Silvery Coat, Lower Grade

Tinned copper wire is ordinary copper coated in a thin silvery layer of tin or solder — common in electronics, marine wiring, older installations and tinned earth sleeving. The coating counts as contamination, so tinned wire grades a clear step below clean bright wire. Still very much worth collecting — just never mixed in with the bright stuff.

For today's copper figures, check guide prices or call 07793 020266.

Spot The Difference

Three Quick Tests

Cut the end

Snip and look at the cross-section: tinned wire shows a copper core under the silver skin. The definitive test — takes two seconds.

File a flat

A few strokes of a file on the side reveal copper beneath tinning. Aluminium stays silver all the way through — and feels far lighter.

Heft it

Copper is dramatically heavier than aluminium for the same thickness. If silvery wire feels surprisingly heavy, it is probably tinned copper.

FAQs

Tinned Copper FAQs

Is tinned copper worth less than bright wire?

Yes — the tin coating counts as contamination. Still solid copper value, just a step below bright.

Can tinning be removed?

Not practically — the coating is bonded to the wire. Grade it as tinned and move on; effort is better spent sorting. See whether stripping pays.

Where is tinned wire usually found?

Electronics, marine and boat wiring, older installations, earth sleeving and control panels — anywhere corrosion resistance mattered.

Do you take mixed bright and tinned loads?

Yes, but mixed together everything grades as tinned. Bag them apart — see our copper guide for sorting tips.

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Got Copper Wire to Shift?

Bright, tinned or mixed — send photos and we will grade it.

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