Is this 12 AWG MC cable worth more than just scrap?

That is **12/4 MC cable** color-coded for 277/480 volt systems. The yellow, brown, and orange wires are your three hots, the white with a stripe (or sometimes just a diferent color depending on the manufacturer) is the neutral, and the green is your ground. In your specific case, seeing yellow, orange, and brown (or black in some regions) ussually indicates a 480V three-phase setup, commonly found in industrial lighting or heavy motor applications. It is definatly more specialized than the standard residential black/white Romex.

You shoud definitely hold off on stripping it for scrap. Because it has four conductors plus a ground, it is significantly more expensive per foot than standard 12/2. Industrial contractors pay a premium for this because it allows them to run three different circuits on a single pull while sharing a neutral, or to power 480V equipment directly. If you have a decent length, like 50 feet or more, it is worth alot more as a usable product than as bare copper at the recycling center. I'd suggest measuring out the total length and checking local listings to see what the current price per foot is. Even though a big commercial firm won't buy wire from a random guy for a permitted job, a lot of small shop owners or guys doing side work on outbuildings and workshops will jump at the chance to get a discount on high-voltage rated cable. You coud easily get double or triple the scrap value if you find the right buyer. Just a heads up, the thin aluminum strip you mentioned isn't acutally a conductor. It is just there to ensure the metal armor itself stays grounded in case of a fault. Don't try to use it as a wire. If you do end up selling it, just make sure to label it as **480V 12/4 MC** so people know exactly what they are getting. It is a niche item, but it is high-quality stuff that shouldn't end up in a melt pot yet.

I've run into this stuff before on commercial retrofits. It's usually a pain to pull thru tight spots 'cause it's way stiffer than your standard 12/2. If you're gonna try and sell it, double check that the insulation isn't nicked anywhere. Since it's dumpster find, sometimes guys toss it 'cause they kinked the hell out of it or the jacket's compromised. If it's clean though, you're sitting on a nice little find.

I wouldn't bother trying to resell it. I tried selling some leftover 277v stuff on Marketplace last year and it sat for months. Most guys won't touch 'mystery wire' from a dumpster for a real job. What I did was keep it for a subpanel run in my own garage. Even though the colors are weird, you can just re-identify the ends with some black or white electrical tape to make it work for 120/240v. It’s way tougher than Romex and perfect for running along a workbench where it might get banged up. If it's over 30 feet, just keep it for your next project.