From padlock keys to keys to those that fit trunks long gone, old keys seem to collect in drawers, buckets and coffee cans overnight. When cleaning out your home or business, don't throw out your old and unwanted keys with today's trash. Since the keys are metal, you can sell the old keys for scrap. You can make some money and do something good for the environment at the same time. Before selling your old keys for scrap, check to make sure the keys are not to a lock or door you currently have or use.

  • From padlock keys to keys to those that fit trunks long gone, old keys seem to collect in drawers, buckets and coffee cans overnight.
  • Before selling your old keys for scrap, check to make sure the keys are not to a lock or door you currently have or use.

Remove any key rings, plastic or paper tags from the old keys. Place the waste in a trash bag or can.

Place the old keys in one or more boxes.

Take the old keys to a scrap metal merchant in your area.

Inform the scrap metal merchant you would like to sell the box(es) of old keys. The old keys will be weighed and a value will be determined.

TIP

If there no scrap metal merchants in your area, click on the "Scrap Metals Directory" link in the Resources section of this article to locate a merchant in another area of your state. For plastic keys, consider taking those keys to a recycling facility in your area. Scrap metal merchants only accept metal objects.