Copper, brass, bronze: how to tell them apart?

These three copper-colored metals look similar but have very different purchase values.

Copper

Red-orange, the most expensive (€8.50-10.30/kg). It’s the pure metal, without alloy.

Brass

Golden yellow, it’s a copper-zinc alloy (€3.50-5.70/kg). Found in plumbing fixtures and locks.

Bronze

Dark reddish-brown, it’s a copper-tin alloy (€5.00-7.00/kg). Heavier and darker than brass.

The simple test

Scratch the surface: red = copper, yellow = brass, dark brown = bronze. If in doubt, our team identifies your metals for free.