Palladium Price in 1980
In 1980, the price of palladium averaged $201 per troy ounce, up 67.5% from the year before. This page covers the 1980 average, the events that moved the market, and what that palladium would be worth in today's dollars.
1980 Average
$201
Annual average, USD/oz
Change vs 1979
+67.5%
from $120 in 1979
Palladium Price Chart, 1970 to 1990
What happened to the palladium price in 1980
Palladium averaged $201 per troy ounce in 1980, surging 67.5% from the $120 average of 1979. Annual moves of that size are rare and put 1980 among the most explosive years in the metal's modern history. The defining story of 1980: Peak of the 1979-80 precious-metals bubble; blow-off top then collapse.
The 1980s opened with the collapse of the 1980 precious-metals bubble and a deep recession low, then recovered as three-way catalytic converters spread and autocatalyst demand for palladium began to build in earnest.
Adjusted for inflation, palladium's 1980 average of $201 equals about $786 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 palladium in 1980?
What is a 1980 palladium price worth in today's dollars?
What moved the palladium price in 1980?
Annual averages are USGS/Engelhard producer prices (1970 to 1988) and LBMA palladium prices (1989 to 2025) per troy ounce in US dollars. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.