Scrap Motherboard

ISRI Code : NA | Last updatedOctober 29, 2025 02:26:51 PM

Scrap motherboards are high-value e-waste from computers, servers, and network equipment, containing significant precious metals—gold-plated connectors, pins, and a mix of copper, silver, and base metals. Sorting, grading, and safe recycling unlock value and help drive the circular tech economy.

What Is Scrap Motherboard?

Scrap motherboards are the main circuit boards from obsolete desktops, laptops, servers, and networking gear. They are rich in:

Gold-plated connectors and CPU sockets
Copper traces and contact points
Silver in solder and some components
Fiberglass, ceramic, and other base materials

Older telecom/server boards typically contain more gold content, making them even more desirable. Modern “green” boards use less precious metal, but all motherboards remain among the most valuable e-scrap materials for recovery.

Industry, Pricing, and Market Insights

Grading Motherboards

Green Motherboards: Newer tech, more copper, less gold, mid-tier price
Brown/Older Motherboards: Higher gold/silver, more value per pound, often used in communication/server cabinets
Fiberglass or “Low Grade” Boards: Rarely purchased by premium buyers, low or no precious metal content

Pricing Example (2020):

US East/West Coast/Midwest: $2.50/lb (premium grade)

Check up-to-date Scrap Motherboard and Electronics Scrap Prices
Local Scrap Yard Price Table

Selling Bulk Scrap Motherboards

For large quantities, many yards offer free pickup, discounts, or rebates—especially for sorted, graded material.
Not all yards buy motherboards—always check ahead, pre-sort, and remove batteries, wires, chips, and other materials for max payouts.

Find reputable buyers:

Marketplace:

Benefits: Environmental and Business Impact

Environmental: Recycling motherboards diverts toxic metals (lead, mercury, cadmium) from landfill and conserves rare elements (gold, silver, tantalum).
Business: Graded, sorted scrap yields top-dollar; proper recycling complies with R2/e-Stewards/circular economy mandates and green business certifications.
Circular Tech Economy: Supports minerals recovery, green product manufacturing, and re-use in future electronics.

How Scrap Motherboard Prices Are Set

Grade and purity: Premium green or brown boards = higher gold/copper content
Market demand: Precious metals pricing, export activity, and bulk deals
Location and volume: Urban centers, export zones, and larger lots drive rates
Buyer policies: Preferred buyers may pay more for sorted and “clean” (chip- and battery-removed) material

Always check live Electronics Scrap Prices, and contact yards or marketplace buyers for specific deals.

Where to Buy & Sell

Buy/Sell Offers: ScrapMonster Marketplace
Bulk Trading: Register and connect for premium offers
Local Solutions: Scrap Yard Finder
Export Options: Yards arrange bulk exports for major ITAD recyclers; ensure proper manifest and grading

ScrapMonster Services & News

Fun Facts: Scrap Motherboard Edition

A ton of motherboards may yield 600+ grams of gold—making urban e-waste mining more lucrative than most gold mines!
Old server boards sometimes have gold-plated CPU sockets weighing over 10 grams per board.
Recycling all motherboards removed during a decade of electronics upgrades would save millions of pounds of mined copper.
Some rare vintage boards are valuable to collectors rather than just scrap buyers!
ScrapMonster members recycled over 500,000 lbs of motherboards through the B2B portal last year.