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, 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

Zinc Price Chart, 1970 to 1990

Annual average zinc price per tonne, 1970 to 1990, with 1974 marked.

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.