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Lead Price in 1985

In 1985, the price of lead averaged $391 per tonne, down 11.7% from the year before. This page covers the 1985 average, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

1985 Average

$391

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1984

-11.7%

from $443 in 1984

Lead Price Chart, 1975 to 1995

Annual average lead price per tonne, 1975 to 1995, with 1985 marked.

What happened to the lead price in 1985

Lead averaged $391 per tonne in 1985, down 11.7% from $443 the year before. The notable development of 1985: Mid-1980s cyclical low.

A deep early-1980s recession and the mid-decade cyclical low pressured lead, which bottomed near $390 in 1985 before recovering.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 1985 average of $391 equals about $1,171 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 1985?
Lead averaged $391 per tonne in 1985, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was down 11.7% from $443 in 1984.
What is a 1985 lead price worth in today's dollars?
Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 1985 average of $391 works out to roughly $1,171 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 1985?
The defining story of 1985: Mid-1980s cyclical low. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 11.7%, from $443 in 1984 to $391.

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.