Junk trading

Junk trading is an action in which certain item(s) are used to exercise the freedom of trade. Jagex's grand exchange database sometimes does not match supply and demand. In order to trade freely, people often choose junk trading. A person will offer an item that is underpriced along with items that are overpriced to balance the trade.

This can also be done in the context of item lending.

Understanding junk items
Junk items are items which have prices usually above their actual value, often due to lack of demand for said item. Good examples of this are low level unstrung bows. The logs from which the unstrung bows are made can be bought for much less than the value of the unstrung bow. Due to the lack of demand for these types of items they are generally only used in junk trading.

On the other hand, items such as 3rd age sets are extremely rare, causing their demand to be very high and the street price (price on rs forums) to be far higher than the grand exchange market price.

Understanding junk trading
In an example, a trader wishes to sell an item for 100,000 coins, but the item's Grand Exchange value is only 50,000 coins. To accomplish this trade the seller adds 50,000 coins worth of "junk". The trade is then equal and completed. This can also be used when lending items.

Jagex's opinion on junk trading
Posted on the forums many times, Jagex is not against junk trading, however, they do not wish to resort to freedom of trade as they are afraid of autoers.

Common junk items

 * Unstrung bows
 * Poisoned Arrows/Darts
 * Summoning pouches
 * Spirit Shards
 * Summoning Scrolls
 * Javelins/Poisoned Javelins
 * Coif
 * Willow logs
 * Bronze-Adamant weapons/armor
 * Arrow shafts
 * Unfinished arrows/bolts
 * Fire rune
 * Mind rune
 * Blessed spirit shields
 * Ruined Dragon Armor Piece

Common underpriced items

 * Divine/Elysian spirit shields
 * 3rd age armour
 * All gilded construction flatpacks
 * Dragon Claws