Store Page
System Shock
All Discussions Screenshots Artwork Broadcasts Videos News Guides Reviews

System Shock

Store Page
System Shock > Guides > recursor's Guides
56 ratings
Junk Recycling Value Quick Reference
By recursor
A quick reference guide for the recycling value of junk items. Includes both a table with the data and a listing of the higher value items to keep an eye out for.
2
3
   
Award
Favorite
Favorited
Unfavorite
Created by
recursor
Online
Category: Gameplay Basics, Loot
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
21 Jun, 2023 @ 10:26am
21 Jun, 2023 @ 11:02am
3,572 Unique Visitors
88 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Introduction 
Simple List 
Data 
Comments
Introduction
Grabbed from the game files, here is a listing of junk items with their size and amount of credits they yield when recycling. Alongside that basic information are point and value scores for each item. The value score is how much scrap would be needed to generate the same number of credits, divided by how many squares that item occupies in inventory.

For example, a crystal skull yields the equivalent of 30 scrap per inventory square occupied. In contrast, plates only yield the equivalent of 2.5 pieces of scrap per inventory square occupied.

The vaporization value is given in the table as well. Although you probably don't want to carry a lower value item to the recycler because vaporizing it would give 40% instead of 50%. The only real outlier are ashtrays, which are high value anyways.

Note: This reference does not include junk that cannot be recycled but only vaporized for both relevance and space considerations. The table is pretty close to the section character limit, why is also why there are some abbreviations made.
Simple List
Before we get to the full data table, here is a listing of the higher value junk items in the game. In general, these are the items you want to keep an eye out for and consider bringing over to a recycling station.

Extreme Value (Over 15 Points/Square)
  • Jeweled Egg
  • Crystal Skull
  • Ashtray
  • Escroll
  • Desk Plaque

High Value (Over 10 Points/Square)
  • PDA
  • Scanner Gun
  • VR Headset
  • Laptop
  • Jeweled Stand
  • PDI
  • Piggy Bank

Normal Value (10 Points/Square)

These are items of moderate value, the sort of things to bring to a recycler as space allows:
  • Medicine Container
  • Thermometer
  • Tube Rack
  • Chemical Canister
  • Medical Canister
  • Damaged Sparq
  • Damaged Magnum
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Clamp
  • Ear Protection
  • Signal Generator
  • Soldering Iron
  • Tec Specs
  • Welding Mask
  • Wire Spool
  • Wire Stripper
  • Ice Bucket
  • Ice Tongs
  • Erazor
  • Game Controller
  • Hair Gel
  • Hair Mousse
  • Shaving Cream
  • Toothbrush
Data
Name
Width
Height
Vaporize
Recycle
Points
Squares
Value
Jeweled Egg
2
2
75
15
150
4
37.5
Crystal Skull
2
2
60
12
120
4
30
Ashtray
1
1
4
2
20
1
20
Escroll
1
1
10
2
20
1
20
Desk Plaque
3
1
25
5
50
3
16.7
PDA
2
1
15
3
30
2
15
Scanner Gun
2
1
15
3
30
2
15
VR Headset
2
2
30
6
60
4
15
Laptop
2
2
25
5
50
4
12.5
Jeweled Stand
2
2
30
5
50
4
12.5
PDI
2
2
25
5
50
4
12.5
Piggy Bank
2
2
25
5
50
4
12.5
Med Container
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Thermometer
1
1
4
1
10
1
10
Tube Rack
1
2
10
2
20
2
10
Chemical Can
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Medical Can
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Dmg Sparq
2
2
20
4
40
4
10
Dmg Magnum
2
2
20
4
40
4
10
Fire Ext
1
2
10
2
20
2
10
Clamp
1
1
4
1
10
1
10
Ear Protection
1
1
4
1
10
1
10
Signal Gen
2
2
20
4
40
4
10
Soldering
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Tec Specs
1
1
3
1
10
1
10
Welding Mask
2
2
20
4
40
4
10
Wire Spool
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Wire Stripper
1
1
4
1
10
1
10
Ice Bucket
2
2
15
4
40
4
10
Ice Tongs
1
1
2
1
10
1
10
Erazor
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Game Cont
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Hair Gel
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Hair Mousse
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Shaving Cream
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Toothbrush
1
1
5
1
10
1
10
Dmg Mini
2
2
15
3
30
4
7.5
Dmg Rifle
4
2
25
5
50
8
6.25
Scissors
2
1
5
1
10
2
5
Stethoscope
2
1
5
1
10
2
5
Syringe
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Clamp Meter
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Cleaner
1
2
4
1
10
2
5
Drill
2
2
10
2
20
4
5
Corporate Award
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Mallet
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Spraypaint
1
2
4
1
10
2
5
Wipes
1
2
4
1
10
2
5
Fork
1
2
2
1
10
2
5
Knife
1
2
3
1
10
2
5
Spoon
1
2
3
1
10
2
5
Hot Plate
2
2
10
2
20
4
5
Absinthe
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Amaretto
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Champagne
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Flute
1
2
4
1
10
2
5
Cocktail Shaker
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Drink Tumbler
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Gin
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Rum
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Scotch
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Tequila
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Vodka
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Whiskey Bottle
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Whiskey Decanter
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Wine Bottle
1
2
5
1
10
2
5
Hair Dryer
2
2
10
2
20
4
5
Notebook
1
2
4
1
10
2
5
Large Surgical Bowl
3
2
10
2
20
6
3.3
Medical Tray
3
2
10
2
20
6
3.33
Cafeteria Tray
3
2
10
2
20
6
3.33
Encyclopedia
2
2
4
1
10
4
2.5
Plunger
4
2
10
2
20
8
2.5
Bowl
2
2
5
1
10
4
2.5
Plate
2
2
5
1
10
4
2.5
Cigar Box
2
2
5
1
10
4
2.5
Handbook
3
2
5
1
10
6
1.67
Pool Rack
3
3
5
1
10
9
1.1
7 Comments
< >
deltahazer 14 May, 2024 @ 10:20am 
@Crocadilian - Find a Recycling Station (most, if not all, floors have one). Interact with the big hopper to put items in, then the "Recycle Now" button above that. Tokens will drop in the slot on the right for pickup.

@recursor - 1.2 upped the size to 4 by 3, so those busted rifles are fair game now. Value isn't great for their size, but if you got the inventory to spare.... One that note, a lot of items had their values retuned since your chart was made, so you might need to go through and update.
Koyotl 14 Apr, 2024 @ 11:46am 
where do i scrap items, i found where to get coins by selling the junk, but how do i get scrap?
recursor  [author] 5 Nov, 2023 @ 11:33pm 
@Lab Rat Apparently the 1.2 update may change the recycler size and allow for those to be cashed in as well. However, there's no firm date on when the patch will actually hit.
Lab Rat 5 Nov, 2023 @ 2:56pm 
A shame one cannot recycle broken assault rifles and such for credits. 4x2 size does not allow it, only anything that fits 3x3. Shame.
GabrielKrieg 31 Aug, 2023 @ 11:22am 
No, the original System Shock and the Enhanced Edition had junk items, but they were useless and only took up inventory space for nothing. Those games didn't have any kind of in-game monetization
Acid (LSD) 13 Jul, 2023 @ 11:40am 
Did the original system shock have you hauling away so much junk for money? Lol
3rd impact 30 Jun, 2023 @ 5:46pm 
Thanks a ton! :praisesun: