Tin Price in 1970
In 1970, the price of tin averaged $3,673 per tonne early in the 1970s inflation era. This page covers the 1970 average and what that tin would be worth in today's dollars.
1970 Average
$3,673
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Tin Price Chart, 1970 to 1990
What happened to the tin price in 1970
Tin averaged $3,673 per tonne in 1970, according to World Bank and LME annual average data. Tin averaged around $3,673 per tonne in 1970, early in a decade of steep inflation-era gains supported by the International Tin Council's buffer stock.
Tin rose steeply through the 1970s inflation era and the International Tin Council's buffer-stock support, climbing from around $3,700 to over $15,000 per tonne by 1979.
Adjusted for inflation, tin's 1970 average of $3,673 equals about $30,511 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.
Data note: Straits and New York dealer basis, about $1.74/lb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the price of tin in 1970?
What is a 1970 tin price worth in today's dollars?
Annual averages are World Bank and LME tin prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). The 1985 to 1988 values reflect the Kuala Lumpur Tin Market basis during the LME tin-trading suspension, and 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.