Zinc Price in 1974

In 1974, the price of zinc averaged $1,240 per tonne, up 46.7% from the year before. This page covers the 1974 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

1974 Average

$1,240

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1973

+46.7%

from $845 in 1973

What happened to the zinc price in 1974

Zinc averaged $1,240 per tonne in 1974, climbing 46.7% from the $845 average of 1973. The defining story of 1974: 1974 commodity/inflation spike peak.

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 1974 average of $1,240 equals about $8,107 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 1974?

Zinc averaged $1,240 per tonne in 1974, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was up 46.7% from $845 in 1973.

What is a 1974 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 1974 average of $1,240 works out to roughly $8,107 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 zinc price in 1974?

The defining story of 1974: 1974 commodity/inflation spike peak. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 46.7%, from $845 in 1973 to $1,240.

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.