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, high, low, and year-end close, 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

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.