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Lead Price in 1990

In 1990, the price of lead averaged $811 per tonne, up 20.5% from the year before. This page covers the 1990 average, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

1990 Average

$811

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1989

+20.5%

from $673 in 1989

Lead Price Chart, 1980 to 2000

Annual average lead price per tonne, 1980 to 2000, with 1990 marked.

What happened to the lead price in 1990

Lead averaged $811 per tonne in 1990, climbing 20.5% from the $673 average of 1989. The notable development of 1990: Late-1980s/1990 cyclical peak.

Lead peaked early in the decade around $810, then drifted lower through the 1990s on oversupply and the Asian financial crisis.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 1990 average of $811 equals about $2,000 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 1990?
Lead averaged $811 per tonne in 1990, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was up 20.5% from $673 in 1989.
What is a 1990 lead price worth in today's dollars?
Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 1990 average of $811 works out to roughly $2,000 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 1990?
The defining story of 1990: Late-1980s/1990 cyclical peak. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 20.5%, from $673 in 1989 to $811.

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.