Palladium Price in 1981

In 1981, the price of palladium averaged $95 per troy ounce, down 52.7% from the year before. This page covers the 1981 average, the events that moved the market, and what that palladium would be worth in today's dollars.

1981 Average

$95

Annual average, USD/oz

Change vs 1980

-52.7%

from $201 in 1980

Palladium Price Chart, 1971 to 1991

Annual average palladium price per troy ounce, 1971 to 1991, with 1981 marked.

What happened to the palladium price in 1981

Palladium averaged $95 per troy ounce in 1981, collapsing 52.7% from the $201 average of 1980. The defining story of 1981: Bubble bursts; price more than halves amid recession.

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 1981 average of $95 equals about $337 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 1981?

Palladium averaged $95 per troy ounce in 1981, based on LBMA and USGS annual average data. That average was down 52.7% from $201 in 1980.

What is a 1981 palladium price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, palladium's 1981 average of $95 works out to roughly $337 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 palladium price in 1981?

The defining story of 1981: Bubble bursts; price more than halves amid recession. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 52.7%, from $201 in 1980 to $95.

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.