Platinum Price in 1986
In 1986, the price of platinum averaged $461 per troy ounce, up 58.4% from the year before. This page covers the 1986 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that platinum would be worth in today's dollars.
1986 Average
$461
LBMA annual average, USD/oz
Change vs 1985
+58.4%
from $291 in 1985
What happened to the platinum price in 1986
Platinum averaged $461 per troy ounce in 1986, surging 58.4% from the $291 average of 1985. Annual moves of that size are rare and put 1986 among the most explosive years in the metal's modern history. The defining story of 1986: South African supply fears.
The 1980s were volatile for platinum. The metal spiked with the broader 1980 precious-metals mania, then collapsed as recession gutted automotive demand, before recovering late in the decade on South African supply fears and steadily growing catalytic-converter use.
Adjusted for inflation, platinum's 1986 average of $461 equals about $1,356 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 platinum in 1986?
What is a 1986 platinum price worth in today's dollars?
What moved the platinum price in 1986?
Annual averages are LBMA and Johnson Matthey platinum prices per troy ounce in US dollars. Where shown, the yearly high, low, and close come from MetalCharts daily historical data and may differ slightly from figures published elsewhere. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.