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, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that tin would be worth in today's dollars.

1970 Average

$3,673

LME annual average, USD/tonne

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. The notable development of 1970: Start of series (LME resumed post-war trading well established). Straits/NY dealer basis ~$1.74/lb..

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the price of tin in 1970?

Tin averaged $3,673 per tonne in 1970, based on World Bank and LME annual average data.

What is a 1970 tin price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, tin's 1970 average of $3,673 works out to roughly $30,511 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 tin price in 1970?

The defining story of 1970: Start of series (LME resumed post-war trading well established). Straits/NY dealer basis ~$1.74/lb.. 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.

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.