Lead Price in 1974

In 1974, the price of lead averaged $592 per tonne, up 37.7% from the year before. This page covers the 1974 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

1974 Average

$592

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1973

+37.7%

from $430 in 1973

What happened to the lead price in 1974

Lead averaged $592 per tonne in 1974, climbing 37.7% from the $430 average of 1973. The defining story of 1974: First oil-shock commodity boom; sharp rise.

Lead rose through the 1970s inflation era, spiking on the first oil shock and reaching around $1,200 per tonne by the 1979 metals peak.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 1974 average of $592 equals about $3,870 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the price of lead in 1974?

Lead averaged $592 per tonne in 1974, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was up 37.7% from $430 in 1973.

What is a 1974 lead price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 1974 average of $592 works out to roughly $3,870 in today's dollars, using 2025 as the CPI base year. The conversion uses BLS CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

What moved the lead price in 1974?

The defining story of 1974: First oil-shock commodity boom; sharp rise. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 37.7%, from $430 in 1973 to $592.

Annual averages are World Bank and LME lead prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). The 2025 figure is preliminary. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.