What's the price impact if brass has chrome plating (like old faucets or fixtures)?
Short answer: Chrome-plated brass pays less than bare brass because the plating is non-brass weight that has to be accounted for, and depending on the buyer, may require extra processing to remove before the brass can be remelted cleanly — expect a noticeable discount versus polished or bare brass fixtures.
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List Free →Why plating is treated like any other coating
Similar to painted or anodized aluminium, chrome plating on brass fixtures is a thin but real layer of a different metal entirely — chromium, often over a nickel underlayer. None of that plating is brass, so a buyer weighing the fixture as-is is paying brass rates on material that isn’t brass.
How much it typically matters
Small fixtures like faucet handles or trim are mostly plating relative to their thin brass body, so the discount can be proportionally larger than you’d expect. Heavier chrome-plated brass valve bodies or fittings, where the plating is a smaller fraction of total mass, are discounted less severely.
Is stripping worth it
For a handful of old fixtures, stripping chrome plating yourself generally isn’t practical without specialized equipment. For larger volumes, ask the buyer directly what the plated-versus-bare rate gap is before deciding whether it’s worth sourcing a stripping service.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
Disclosing “chrome-plated” versus “bare/polished” brass directly in a ScrapTrade listing lets buyers price the plating deduction upfront, rather than reassessing — and potentially lowballing — once they see it in person.
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