Catalytic converter scrap prices are set by the platinum, palladium and rhodium a converter contains, valued here at $1,711.00, $1,165.00 and pending (rhodium dealer bid) per troy ounce as of 5 Oct 2026, 15:35 UTC. A buyer's offer is what is left of that metal value after payables, refining charges and collection costs, and the table applies the 5-step calculation to 5 reference converters.
| Metal | USD per troy ounce |
|---|---|
| PlatinumPt | $1,711.00 |
| PalladiumPd | $1,165.00 |
| RhodiumRh | $9,000.00 |
Spot prices from Metals-API, refreshed every minute; values per gram, kilogram and other units are converted from the per-ounce quote. How our prices are sourced
| Reference converter (source) | Pt / Pd / Rh (g) | Contained metal value | Refiner value (92.5% after 2% loss) | Break-even offer to a scrapyard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US gasoline vehicle, 2011 (US DOE) | 0.28 / 4.55 / 0.28 | $266.85 | $241.90 | $41.90 to $151.90 |
| US diesel vehicle, 2011 (US DOE) | 7.53 / 2.22 / 0.39 | $610.23 | $553.17 | $353.17 to $463.17 |
| North America, 2010 model year (WPIC) | 1.3 / 4.0 / 0.6 | $394.95 | $358.02 | $158.02 to $268.02 |
| Europe, 2010 model year (WPIC) | 2.7 / 2.3 / 0.4 | $350.42 | $317.65 | $117.65 to $227.65 |
| China, 2010 model year (WPIC) | 0.2 / 1.9 / 0.1 | $111.10 | $100.72 | below break-even to $10.72 |
Indicative, not an offer. Contained value = Σ grams ÷ 31.1034768 × price; refiner value = contained × 0.98 × 0.925; break-even = refiner value minus US$200 to US$90, shown as "below break-even" when negative (WPIC, 20 August 2025). WPIC's North American components round to 5.9 g against its stated 5.8 g. Source: price data sources.
How Much Are Catalytic Converter Scrap Prices Today?#
Catalytic converter scrap prices ran from $50 to $250 per unit, and up to $800 for a hybrid converter, in NICB's May 2023 report on recyclers, because each price is metal value minus refining and collection costs. At live prices, the break-even offer for the 2010 North American reference converter is $158.02 to $268.02, and a buyer's actual offer sits below that ceiling.
Converters are the largest source of scrap platinum group metals: automotive recycling is "three-quarters to 84% of total PGM recycling supply, depending upon the metal" (WPIC, 20 August 2025). Jewelry, dental and laboratory scrap make up the rest of the market for scrap platinum group metals.
Live Indicative Scrap Values for 5 Reference Converters#
At today's prices, a 2010 model-year North American converter with 5.8 g of PGMs contains $394.95 of metal, of which a refiner pays about $358.02 under WPIC's 92.5% model. The rows come from US DOE Program Record 16006 (17 February 2016) and WPIC's Platinum Essentials of 20 August 2025.
The rows span a factor of 4.6 in metal, from 10.14 g in the DOE diesel vehicle to 2.2 g in the Chinese vehicle, whose China 3 and China 4 era loadings are about 38% of the North American level. Each row is a fleet average; what a single unit fetches by type is on how much a catalytic converter is worth.
The Europe row carries the most platinum (2.7 g, a legacy of its diesel fleet) and North America the most palladium and rhodium.
The same arithmetic runs on any grams entered in the catalytic converter PGM value calculator.
Contained Metal Value, Refiner Value and Scrapyard Offer#
Three numbers are called "the converter price": contained metal value, the refiner's payment to the aggregator, and the scrapyard's offer, in falling order. WPIC's 2024 figures for one North American 2010 model-year catalyst are listed below.
- Contained metal value: US$250 at 2024 averages of US$957 platinum, US$982 palladium and US$4,640 rhodium per troy ounce.
- Refiner value: 90% to 95% of contained value, modeled at 92.5% after a 2% processing loss, or US$227.
- Scrapyard offer: refiner value minus US$193 of aggregator costs, a break-even ceiling of US$34 (13.6%).
WPIC adds that the price an aggregator offers "would be lower than the break-even price", because aggregators operate for profit. The share a scrapyard actually receives is not published.
Why Catalytic Converter Scrap Prices Differ Between Buyers#
Buyers quote different prices for one converter because each prices it from its own assay data, costs and price date. Each buyer's code database averages the units it has assayed itself; collection costs run from US$90 to US$200 per catalyst by geography (WPIC); and a refiner settles 13 to 15 working days after receipt unless the seller pre-fixes (Ecotrade).
Aggregators also separate metallic from ceramic honeycombs before assay (WPIC); how buyers set catalytic converter grades is explained on its own page.
What Is Inside a Catalytic Converter That Sets Its Scrap Price?#
A catalytic converter is a steel can in the exhaust holding a ceramic or metal honeycomb coated with platinum, palladium and rhodium, which oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons and reduce nitrogen oxides. The unit weighs kilograms but carries single-digit grams of PGM, and that metal sets its scrap price.
The platinum, palladium and rhodium sit as nanoparticles on an alumina and ceria-zirconia washcoat, loaded in grams per liter of catalyst volume. The chemistry is covered in how catalytic converters use platinum, palladium and rhodium.
The honeycomb is cordierite ceramic (2MgO·2Al2O3·5SiO2) in most gasoline three-way catalysts and FeCrAl foil in close-coupled and high-flow units, and refiners mill the whole substrate to recover the metal.
Metal foil is graded separately and silicon carbide (SiC) costs more to process; the carrier is explained on catalytic converter ceramic monolith.
Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium: The Only 3 Paying Metals#
Only 3 of the 6 platinum group metals are in a catalytic converter: platinum (Pt, 78), palladium (Pd, 46) and rhodium (Rh, 45); ruthenium, iridium and osmium are absent, so no buyer pays for them. Their CAS numbers are 7440-06-4 (platinum), 7440-05-3 (palladium) and 7440-16-6 (rhodium). The table compares all 6 PGMs, from the SFA (Oxford) and IPA PGM Fact Sheets 2026 and Johnson Matthey's PGM Market Report (May 2026).
| Metal | In a converter? | Role in the catalyst | Recycled from converters? (JM, 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum (Pt) | Yes | Oxidizes CO and hydrocarbons; dominant in diesel units | Yes: 1,132 koz automotive secondary supply |
| Palladium (Pd) | Yes | Oxidation; dominant in gasoline three-way catalysts | Yes: 2,657 koz |
| Rhodium (Rh) | Yes | Reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) | Yes: 312 koz, its only open-loop secondary source |
| Ruthenium (Ru) | No | Not used | No: no secondary supply line reported |
| Iridium (Ir) | Negligible (trace in spark plug tips) | Not used in the catalyst | No: recycling is almost entirely closed-loop |
| Osmium (Os) | No | Not used | No |
Rhodium's NOx reduction is the function no other metal performs as well, which makes rhodium irreplaceable in a three-way catalyst.
Gasoline vs Diesel Converters: Different Metal Mixes#
A US gasoline converter system is about 89% palladium, 5.5% platinum and 5.5% rhodium by mass, and a US diesel system about 74% platinum, 22% palladium and 4% rhodium (US DOE Program Record 16006, 2016). Three differences change a diesel unit's scrap price, listed below.
- More grams: the DOE diesel vehicle carries 10.14 g of PGM against 5.12 g for gasoline (2011).
- Lower grade: diesel metal spreads over more catalyst volume, so it assays at fewer grams per tonne (1 g/t = 1 ppm).
- Platinum weighting: WPIC calculated in August 2025 that a 5.0 g diesel catalyst loaded 90:10 platinum to rhodium was 13% (US$33) more valuable than a 5.0 g gasoline catalyst loaded 90% palladium with rhodium.
Silicon carbide filters add processing costs that WPIC says "are not a function of loadings". Pricing for these units is on diesel catalytic converter and DPF scrap value.
Units With Little or No PGM Value: SCR and Aftermarket Converters#
SCR units carry no platinum group metals, and aftermarket converters sell for a fraction of an OEM converter's price, 3 to 5 times less in RRCats' trade estimate. US DOE states that selective catalytic reduction devices "do not contain PGM". The table lists 7 exhaust devices, with loadings per liter of catalyst volume (US DOE).
| Device | PGM content | Scrap treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Three-way catalyst (TWC), gasoline | Pt + Pd + Rh | Highest grade per tonne; the core scrap item |
| Diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) | 0.66 g/L Pt + 0.33 g/L Pd; no Rh | Valuable, lower grade |
| Diesel particulate filter (DPF) | 0.75 g/L Pt + 0.25 g/L Pd; no Rh; often SiC | Lower grade, higher processing cost |
| Lean NOx trap (LNT) | 2.0 g/L Pt + 0.5 g/L Rh | Most valuable diesel component |
| Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) | Zero | Stainless steel scrap value only |
| Gasoline particulate filter (GPF) | Pd and Rh if catalyzed; none if bare | Depends on the coating |
| Aftermarket converter | No published gram figure | About US$20 against US$100 to US$800+ for OEM (ScrapMonster) |
An OEM converter must meet its emissions limits over the vehicle's useful life, 120,000 miles or 11 years under Tier 2 and 150,000 miles or 15 years under Tier 3 (40 CFR Part 86); 8 years or 80,000 miles is only the Clean Air Act §207(i) warranty. Labels such as "Universal" or "CARB Compliant" usually mark aftermarket units; how to identify an OEM or aftermarket catalytic converter is explained step by step.
How Is Catalytic Converter Scrap Value Calculated?#
Catalytic converter scrap value is calculated in 5 steps: weigh each metal in grams, price it, apply payables, deduct charges, then deduct collection and processing costs. Every buyer runs the same 5 steps, listed below, and differs only in the inputs.
- Weigh the platinum, palladium and rhodium in grams, from a code average or an assay.
- Price each metal as grams ÷ 31.1034768 × price per troy ounce on a named basis.
- Apply payables: 96% to 98% for platinum and palladium, 88% to 93% for rhodium (Ecotrade).
- Deduct treatment and refining charges after correcting the lot to dry weight.
- Deduct collection, decanning, sampling and assay costs of US$90 to US$200 per converter (WPIC).
Step 1: Grams of Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium#
Step 1 is the PGM loading: US DOE put a 2011 US gasoline vehicle at 5.12 g (0.28 g Pt, 4.55 g Pd, 0.28 g Rh) and a diesel vehicle at 10.14 g. DOE's later columns, such as 6.21 g for 2025 gasoline, are 2016 projections. Loading tables by vehicle and engine are on how much platinum, palladium and rhodium is in a catalytic converter.
Loadings follow a cycle: WPIC writes that they "rise with new legislation and subsequently decline with thrifting". Vehicles reach scrapyards at 12 to 16 years old on average (WPIC), so 2026 scrap comes from roughly 2010 to 2014 vehicles, not from today's new cars.
Step 2: Metal Prices and the Price Basis#
Step 2 converts grams to troy ounces (31.1034768 g each) and multiplies by a named price: LBMA for platinum and palladium, Engelhard Industrial Bullion or refiner base prices for rhodium. For example, 4.0 g of palladium is 0.1286 troy ounces, worth US$128.60 at a hypothetical US$1,000/oz. Other weights convert on the troy ounce converter.
Five price bases appear in converter settlement, compared below.
| Price basis | Metals | Publisher | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| LBMA Platinum Price, LBMA Palladium Price | Pt, Pd | ICE Benchmark Administration (from 1 July 2026) | No LBMA benchmark for rhodium |
| Engelhard Industrial Bullion (EIB) | Pt, Pd, Rh, other PGMs | BASF ECMS, daily | Basis of USGS price series; de facto US industrial reference |
| Refiner base prices | Rh, Ir, Ru, Os | Johnson Matthey, Heraeus and others | Dealer-published |
| NYMEX futures (CME) | Pt, Pd | CME Group | Platinum since 1956, palladium since 1968 |
| GFEX futures | Pt, Pd | Guangzhou Futures Exchange | Launched late November 2025 |
The LBMA benchmarks cover platinum and palladium only, administered by IBA since 1 July 2026 after the LME. The auction behind LBMA platinum and palladium prices is explained on the benchmark page.
Rhodium has no exchange price and no auction benchmark, so every rhodium figure is a dealer or refiner quote. Spreads widen with illiquidity in the order gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and sellers transact on the bid, which is why the live table uses a rhodium bid.
Refiners publish their own daily rhodium figures; the method behind Johnson Matthey base prices and Heraeus and Umicore quotes is compared separately.
Step 3: Payable Percentages by Metal#
Step 3 applies payables of 96% to 98% for platinum and palladium and 88% to 93% for rhodium, the toll-refining range Ecotrade publishes. The payable is the share of assayed metal the refiner pays for, compared across 2 trade sources below.
| Metal | Ecotrade typical range | Recohub typical |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 96% to 98% | 98% |
| Palladium | 96% to 98% | 98% |
| Rhodium | 88% to 93% | 94% to 95% |
Rhodium is paid 3 to 10 percentage points below platinum and palladium, which Recohub attributes to "chemistry and process specifics". Technical recovery is a different number: about 95% for spent autocatalysts (SFA Oxford) or "well over 95%" (WPIC), and the payable is recovery minus the refiner's retained share.
Step 4: Treatment Charges, Refining Charges and Moisture#
Step 4 deducts a treatment charge of $200 to $500 per lot and a refining charge of $5 to $25 per troy ounce (Ecotrade), after the lot is corrected to dry weight. The 6 charge lines a settlement can carry are listed below.
| Charge | Basis | Typical level |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment charge (TC) | Fixed, per lot | US$200 to US$500 (Ecotrade) |
| Refining charge (RC) | Per troy ounce recovered | US$5 to US$25/oz = US$160.75 to US$803.77/kg |
| Small-lot fee | Lots below the minimum | Charged; amount not published |
| Analysis, storage, documentation | Sometimes on top of the TC | Stated in the contract |
| Shipping | Per logistics agreement | Variable |
| Umpire assay | Split, or assigned by outcome | Charged when invoked |
Ecotrade's own page converts the refining charge to "approximately $150 to $700 per kilogram", about 13% low at the top end. Moisture comes off first, as dry weight = wet weight × (1 − moisture): in Recohub's example, a 1,000 kg lot at 5% moisture is 0.95 t dry, a 1,800 g/t palladium assay gives 1,710 g, and a 98% payable leaves 1,675.8 g.
Diesel material also carries soot that adds weight but no metal, so a loss-on-ignition correction precedes the grade calculation; no refiner publishes numeric tolerances for it. XRF and ICP methods are compared on catalytic converter assay.
Step 5: Collection, Decanning and Assay Costs#
Step 5 deducts the aggregator's cost of $90 to $200 per converter to collect, decan, crush and assay it, according to WPIC (August 2025). The cost builds along a 6-actor chain: scrapyard, aggregator, decanner, sampler, smelter (typically above 1,200 °C) and refiner.
The cost is per unit, not per gram: WPIC notes that recycling a catalyst with 3.0 g of PGMs costs the same as one with 7.0 g, so low-loading units fall below break-even first. The chain from decanning to refined metal is described in catalytic converter recycling.
Worked Example: A North American Converter at 2024 Prices#
A 2010 North American converter held $250 of metal at 2024 prices, but only $34 was left as the maximum offer to a scrapyard, 13.6% of contained value (WPIC). The waterfall runs 1.3 g platinum, 4.0 g palladium and 0.6 g rhodium at US$957, US$982 and US$4,640 per troy ounce through the 5 steps.
| Line | US$ per catalyst | Share of contained value |
|---|---|---|
| Contained metal (Pt 39, Pd 126, Rh 85) | 250 | 100% |
| Processing loss (2%) | (5) | 2.0% |
| Smelter and refiner retained spread (7.5%) | (18) | 7.2% |
| Refiner payment to aggregator | 227 | 90.8% |
| Logistics and handling | (100) | 40.0% |
| Sampling | (30) | 12.0% |
| Decanning and shredding | (10) | 4.0% |
| Storage | (5) | 2.0% |
| Overheads | (15) | 6.0% |
| Financing and hedging | (33) | 13.2% |
| Break-even offer to scrapyard | 34 | 13.6% |
WPIC folds steps 3 and 4 into one 92.5% refiner offer, where a toll contract lists payables and charges separately. Rhodium shows why grams alone mislead: 0.6 g, about 10% of the metal by weight, contributed US$85, or 34% of the value.
Why Do Catalytic Converter Scrap Prices Move More Than Metal Prices?#
Scrap converter prices swing more than metal prices because refiner percentages and aggregator costs are largely fixed, so the scrapyard's residual absorbs the whole move. In WPIC's 2024 model, a hypothetical 10% fall in contained value, to US$225, cuts the refiner payment by about US$23 while costs stay at US$193, so the break-even offer falls from US$34 to about US$11 (DailyPlatinum calculation). Refiners avoid that gearing: about 90% of their input cost is feedstock at market prices, and they hedge their sales (WPIC).
2021 vs 2024: Metal Value Down 65%, Break-Even Offer Down 91.5%#
Between 2021 and 2024, North American contained value fell 65% ($719 to $250) while the break-even offer to scrapyards fell 91.5% ($402 to $34), in WPIC's estimates. WPIC priced 2021 at US$1,089 platinum, US$2,392 palladium and US$20,080 rhodium per troy ounce, and wrote that the 2021 break-even "would have been around ten times higher than in 2024".
| Region (2010 MY loading) | Contained 2021 (US$) | Contained 2024 (US$) | Change | Break-even 2021 (US$) | Break-even 2024 (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America (5.8 g) | 719 | 250 | -65.2% | 402 | 34 | -91.5% |
| Europe (5.4 g) | 509 | 211 | -58.5% | 257 | 24 | -90.7% |
| China (2.2 g) | 231 | 84 | -63.6% | 116 | -13 | Below break-even |
The gearing shows in scrap flows: recycled automotive supply ran at 110% of WPIC's end-of-life-vehicle curve in 2019 to 2021 and at 80% in 2022 to 2024, as collectors held converters below break-even.
Catalytic Converter Scrap Prices in 2025 and 2026#
Scrap converter values recovered in 2025: WPIC put the average break-even offer at $19 per catalyst on 30 June 2025 spot prices, up from minus $6 in 2024. That estimate covers an average 2011 model-year catalyst, after platinum rose 43% and palladium 38% in the first half of 2025. USGS annual averages on the Engelhard basis show the full-year direction.
| Metal | 2021 average (US$/oz) | 2024 average (US$/oz) | 2021 to 2024 | 2025 vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 1,094.31 | 960.70 | -12.2% | +25% |
| Palladium | 2,419.18 | 994.90 | -58.9% | +11% |
| Rhodium | 20,254.10 | 4,660.44 | -77.0% | +24% |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Engelhard unfabricated metal annual averages.
Platinum reached an all-time high of US$2,923/oz on 26 January 2026 (WPIC; US$2,860 on Johnson Matthey's basis), after a rally Johnson Matthey ties to the late-November 2025 launch of Guangzhou Futures Exchange platinum and palladium futures. High prices "accelerate the movement of PGM through the recycling supply chain" (Johnson Matthey, May 2026), while WPIC's Q1 2026 Platinum Quarterly reports lower loadings per catalyst and working-capital strain on recyclers.
Palladium weighs most in a gasoline unit, with "around three times as much palladium as platinum" in the average catalyst (WPIC). The palladium price today therefore moves a typical converter's value more than platinum does.
Rhodium: The Widest Price Swing in a Gasoline Converter#
Rhodium is the most converter-dependent metal: autocatalyst recycling supplied 312,000 oz (9.7 t), 30.8% of combined rhodium supply, in 2025 (Johnson Matthey, May 2026). Automotive use took 84.6% of rhodium demand that year. The USGS rhodium average fell 77.0% from 2021 to 2024, against 58.9% for palladium and 12.2% for platinum.
In WPIC's North American converter, rhodium's contribution fell from US$367 to US$85, 60% of the US$469 drop in contained value. Rhodium also has the lowest payable and the widest spread of the 3 metals, so read the rhodium price today with its basis and side before valuing a converter.
How Buyers Price a Scrap Converter by Vehicle and Code#
Buyers price a converter by vehicle through its stamped code, matched to average assays of earlier units with the same code. The code supplies the grams for step 1. WPIC notes that "several collectors offer mobile apps which provide live pricing for spent catalysts based off a database of catalyst details including PGM loadings".
Converter Code Databases: Averages, Not Specifications#
A converter code does not encode PGM content; each database figure averages assayed units, so two units with one code can assay differently. Manufacturers do not disclose loadings, so each mapping comes from decanning, sampling and assaying units that bear the code. The 3 types of converter database are listed below.
- Open databases: ConverterDatabase.com states it holds "over 5,030 individually sampled converters including their serial numbers", based on XRF values.
- Buyer platforms: Ecotrade Group, PMR, RRCats and ScrapMonster listings, tied to selling to the operator.
- Proprietary histories: aggregators' and refiners' internal assay records, never published.
Databases therefore disagree legitimately, and a database quote is a statistical expectation, not a promise. How manufacturers format catalytic converter codes is explained on the codes page.
Hybrids, Large Engines and Two-Converter Vehicles#
Hybrid converters are the most valuable per unit because they carry higher loadings and age less, as their engines run fewer hours. NICB reported in May 2023 that recyclers paid up to US$800 for a hybrid unit. Engine size sets the rest: a US Tier 2 Bin 5 gasoline catalyst holds about 1.7 g of PGM per engine liter (US DOE), 2.48 g on a 1.5 L engine and 4.95 g on 3.0 L.
WPIC finds that segment B hatchback converters (about 1.0 L) are frequently below break-even and hoarded, while segment J SUVs (about 2.5 L) carry the chain; 2 converters in series double processing cost without doubling metal. Which models lead is covered on most valuable catalytic converters.
Selling a Scrap Catalytic Converter at a Fair Price#
Sellers get the best converter scrap price by matching the sale route to the quantity: single units to a converter buyer, tonne lots to a refiner. Refiners take lots of about 1 tonne (500 kg at Ecotrade). Jewelry, dental and laboratory metal follow their own routes within scrap platinum group metals.
Getting a Quote: Photos, Codes and Whole Units#
Photograph the code, the whole shell and both ends, and state the vehicle, before asking any buyer for a price. The 4 steps below give a buyer what its database needs.
- Photograph the stamped code, the whole shell and both ends.
- State the make, model, year and engine size.
- Keep the unit whole, because decanned powder of unknown origin trades at a discount.
- Ask at least 2 buyers whether each quote is a code average and on which day's prices.
In the UK, the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 (section 12) bars dealers from paying cash for scrap metal. Routes and payment methods are compared on where to sell a catalytic converter.
Offers for one unit differ between buyers, so compare catalytic converter buyers on grading and payment terms.
Selling a Lot to a Refiner: Assay, Settlement and Pre-Fixing#
Refiners take converter material in lots of about 1 tonne and settle on an ICP assay 13 to 15 working days after receipt, priced on the approval day unless the seller pre-fixes (Ecotrade). The settlement stages are listed below.
- Preparation: weighing, decanning, milling to 20 mesh or finer, and homogenization.
- Sampling: a composite sample, with a sealed witness split kept for any umpire assay.
- Assay: preliminary XRF in 3 to 5 working days, final ICP within 10 working days after it.
- Price fixing: a 1 to 5 day pre-fix window, or the price on the approval day.
- Payment: within 2 working days of approval.
BASF ECMS accepts 5 material categories, from milled ceramic to foils, uses ISO 17025-accredited methods and lets sellers hold refined metal in "metal accounts". The steps after the smelter are explained in precious metal refining.
When to challenge an XRF or ICP result is covered on catalytic converter assay.
Catalytic Converter Scrap Guides, Tools and Terms#
Catalytic converter scrap topics each have a dedicated guide, tool or glossary entry, listed below with a starting figure.
- Calculator: the catalytic converter PGM value calculator applies live prices to any grams.
- By metal: scrap platinum price, scrap palladium price and rhodium scrap.
- Loading: PGM loading, 5.8 g for a 2010 North American vehicle (WPIC).
- Decanning: decanning removes the shell, US$10 per catalyst in WPIC's cost stack.
- Charges: a refining charge of US$5 to US$25 per troy ounce (Ecotrade).
- Recovery: a recovery rate of about 95% (SFA Oxford), not the payable.
- Catalyst: the three-way catalyst, first sold by Volvo on the 1977 California-specification 240.
Catalytic Converter Scrap Price FAQ#
How much is a scrap catalytic converter worth today?#
A scrap catalytic converter is worth its platinum, palladium and rhodium at 5 Oct 2026, 15:35 UTC prices, less payables and costs: $158.02 to $268.02 for the 2010 North American reference unit. Values by type are on how much a catalytic converter is worth.
Is there gold in a catalytic converter?#
No, a catalytic converter contains no gold; its value comes from platinum, palladium and rhodium. Ruthenium, iridium and osmium are absent too (SFA Oxford and IPA, 2026).
Who pays the most for catalytic converters?#
The buyer with the lowest costs and the best assay data can pay the most, because every offer is contained value minus that buyer's costs and margin. WPIC's aggregator costs range from US$90 to US$200 per catalyst, more than the whole 2024 North American break-even of US$34. DailyPlatinum does not rank catalytic converter buyers.
Why are catalytic converters stolen?#
Catalytic converters are stolen for their platinum, palladium and rhodium, for which recyclers paid up to $800 per hybrid unit in 2023 (NICB). WPIC writes that the 2019 to 2021 price spike "incentivised increased theft", and State Farm paid US$115.4 million on 45,000 theft claims in 2022. Trends and laws are on catalytic converter theft.
Is a scrap catalytic converter price the same as a replacement price?#
No: the scrap price is what a buyer pays for a used converter's metal; a new part's price is a separate retail market this page does not cover.