Palladium Price in 1989

In 1989, the price of palladium averaged $146 per troy ounce, up 18.7% from the year before. This page covers the 1989 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that palladium would be worth in today's dollars.

1989 Average

$146

Annual average, USD/oz

Change vs 1988

+18.7%

from $123 in 1988

What happened to the palladium price in 1989

Palladium averaged $146 per troy ounce in 1989, climbing 18.7% from the $123 average of 1988. The notable development of 1989: LBMA begins publishing a palladium price.

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 1989 average of $146 equals about $379 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 1989?

Palladium averaged $146 per troy ounce in 1989, based on LBMA and USGS annual average data. That average was up 18.7% from $123 in 1988.

What is a 1989 palladium price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, palladium's 1989 average of $146 works out to roughly $379 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 1989?

The defining story of 1989: LBMA begins publishing a palladium price. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 18.7%, from $123 in 1988 to $146.

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.