Zinc Price in 1973
In 1973, the price of zinc averaged $845 per tonne, up 123.5% from the year before. This page covers the 1973 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.
1973 Average
$845
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1972
+123.5%
from $378 in 1972
What happened to the zinc price in 1973
Zinc averaged $845 per tonne in 1973, surging 123.5% from the $378 average of 1972. Annual moves of that size are rare and put 1973 among the most explosive years in the metal's modern history. The defining story of 1973: Sharp rise into the 1970s commodity boom.
Zinc more than tripled during the 1973-74 commodity and inflation boom, spiking toward $1,240 per tonne before the mid-decade recession pulled it back below $600.
Adjusted for inflation, zinc's 1973 average of $845 equals about $6,134 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 zinc in 1973?
What is a 1973 zinc price worth in today's dollars?
What moved the zinc price in 1973?
Annual averages are World Bank and LME zinc prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). 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.