Home / Prices / Lead Lead price history, 1960 to 2026 LME cash averaged $1,855/t in August 2026, -5% over twelve months and +1% over ten years. The nominal all-time high was $3,720/t in October 2007; in 2024 dollars the real peak was $6,005/t in June 1979. Monthly averages, World Bank Pink Sheet.
Lead monthly prices, $/t, Jan 1960 to Jul 2026 Line chart of lead monthly prices in $/t from Jan 1960 to Jul 2026: LME cash from 206 to 1,855, peaking at 3,720; Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF) from 515.7 to 1,843, peaking at 3,723. 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 $/t Derived price statistics per series Series Latest 1 month 12 months 5 years 10 years 20 years All-time high (nominal) All-time high (real, 2024 US$) LME cash$/t, since 1960 1,855August 2026 +1% -5% -23% +1% +58% 3,720October 2007 6,005June 1979 Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF)$/t, since 1992 1,843July 2026 -5% -8% -21% +0% +75% 3,723October 2007 5,582October 2007
Percentage changes compare the latest monthly average with the monthly average 1, 12, 60, 120 and 240 months earlier. Real prices deflate by the US consumer price index (BLS via FRED) to 2024 dollars.
Source: World Bank Pink Sheet , 2026-09-02, fetched 6 September 2026 (CC BY 4.0); IMF PCPS , 2026-08-06, fetched 6 September 2026 (© International Monetary Fund. All rights reserved (IMF terms of use)) .
Prices are monthly benchmark averages that may lag the market; informational only, not investment, legal or trade advice. For what these benchmarks mean and how they are set, see how lead is priced .
Monthly lead prices by decade Choose a decade. Values are monthly averages in the unit shown; blank cells mean no quote was published.
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
LME cash ($/t) LME cash monthly prices, 1960s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 1960 206 204 210 214 213 202 196 195 193 185 188 179 198.8 1961 176 180 182 185 184 178 179 178 176 173 166 167 177 1962 163 162 167 167 165 159 148 141 143 146 150 153 155.3 1963 149 151 154 159 167 179 180 185 187 192 191 205 174.9 1964 218 223 224 227 244 246 271 301 301 332 365 384 278 1965 348 390 395 353 302 279 272 272 289 307 299 301 317.3 1966 301 292 293 280 262 259 263 243 254 234 223 224 260.7 1967 220 222 228 227 226 228 231 232 227 226 242 222 227.6 1968 218 228 234 235 238 239 247 250 252 248 249 250 240.7 1969 254 258 261 268 278 286 311 316 303 294 316 334 289.9
LME cash monthly prices, 1970s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 1970 325 341 336 321 292 308 301 285 285 285 280 277 303 1971 263 266 267 268 265 273 262 258 239 230 222 231 253.7 1972 252 294 321 316 318 312 304 298 302 297 298 308 301.7 1973 318 340 372 387 396 425 470 448 445 472 490 594 429.8 1974 566 649 708 702 669 570 549 550 539 537 534 534 592.3 1975 538 541 543 480 357 353 359 384 370 345 337 333 411.7 1976 337 348 384 454 483 476 509 483 481 465 459 478 446.4 1977 560 648 703 648 661 567 562 551 582 615 633 686 618 1978 664 582 582 573 545 570 582 639 693 830 824 859 661.9 1979 992 1,055 1,177 1,161 1,239 1,382 1,272 1,213 1,231 1,319 1,225 1,233 1,208
LME cash monthly prices, 1980s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 1980 1,118 1,168 1,121 969 772 739 811 853 883 879 813 743 905.8 1981 705 689 730 759 697 712 784 824 764 717 666 674 726.8 1982 648 618 613 575 575 521 552 523 515 497 462 448 545.6 1983 475 455 443 458 433 408 403 398 405 419 405 402 425.3 1984 398 405 460 482 453 484 494 467 402 412 441 416 442.8 1985 421 368 352 390 376 389 403 414 400 393 394 390 390.8 1986 368 367 367 370 377 418 380 392 407 435 473 518 406 1987 464 460 487 556 693 629 664 659 647 601 642 659 596.8 1988 667 656 649 649 668 678 619 602 610 655 691 731 656.3 1989 676 622 589 608 643 666 692 702 728 752 693 711 673.5
LME cash monthly prices, 1990s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 1990 708 780 1,062 836 826 838 875 876 839 761 701 625 810.6 1991 600 594 603 601 555 549 548 540 540 522 506 532 557.5 1992 515 505 521 533 520 548 626 655 621 537 460 455 541.3 1993 437 414 406 421 407 394 388 388 376 384 400 461 406.3 1994 490 485 452 440 474 525 580 571 614 642 667 634 547.8 1995 667 580 586 609 597 612 622 624 593 639 714 732 631.3 1996 710 770 818 815 840 797 784 816 796 742 717 689 774.5 1997 692 660 695 643 619 615 634 608 634 600 563 527 624.2 1998 532 516 560 573 544 528 546 537 520 493 494 501 528.7 1999 492 514 508 519 542 496 496 503 507 497 478 479 502.6
LME cash monthly prices, 2000s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 2000 472 452 441 421 412 420 452 473 487 486 468 462 453.8 2001 478 502 498 478 467 444 462 483 465 468 487 483 476.3 2002 513 480 480 472 452 440 446 423 421 418 442 444 452.6 2003 445 476 457 437 464 468 515 497 521 587 622 692 515.1 2004 758 888 886 754 809 870 940 922 935 933 968 975 886.5 2005 953 978 1,004 986 988 986 854 887 933 1,005 1,018 1,124 976.3 2006 1,256 1,277 1,192 1,170 1,167 964 1,052 1,174 1,342 1,531 1,625 1,726 1,290 2007 1,666 1,780 1,914 2,001 2,101 2,425 3,083 3,119 3,227 3,720 3,328 2,596 2,580 2008 2,608 3,080 3,009 2,823 2,235 1,863 1,945 1,924 1,868 1,480 1,291 963 2,091 2009 1,133 1,101 1,239 1,383 1,440 1,674 1,679 1,900 2,205 2,241 2,309 2,329 1,719
LME cash monthly prices, 2010s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 2010 2,368 2,124 2,172 2,265 1,883 1,704 1,837 2,075 2,184 2,380 2,377 2,413 2,149 2011 2,602 2,587 2,624 2,701 2,428 2,525 2,681 2,397 2,288 1,960 1,994 2,022 2,401 2012 2,096 2,121 2,057 2,071 2,013 1,854 1,881 1,901 2,178 2,142 2,182 2,280 2,065 2013 2,334 2,366 2,169 2,027 2,033 2,100 2,048 2,174 2,085 2,115 2,090 2,137 2,140 2014 2,143 2,108 2,053 2,087 2,097 2,107 2,193 2,237 2,117 2,034 2,030 1,938 2,095 2015 1,843 1,796 1,792 2,005 1,992 1,830 1,763 1,704 1,684 1,720 1,618 1,707 1,788 2016 1,646 1,766 1,802 1,732 1,708 1,713 1,835 1,836 1,948 2,024 2,181 2,210 1,867 2017 2,243 2,312 2,281 2,221 2,125 2,133 2,270 2,348 2,374 2,498 2,461 2,510 2,315 2018 2,584 2,581 2,390 2,352 2,361 2,436 2,207 2,054 2,023 1,988 1,937 1,972 2,240 2019 1,997 2,063 2,046 1,939 1,815 1,900 1,976 2,045 2,072 2,184 2,021 1,901 1,997
LME cash monthly prices, 2020s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 2020 1,924 1,873 1,734 1,658 1,626 1,745 1,818 1,936 1,873 1,776 1,916 2,020 1,825 2021 2,015 2,080 1,948 2,012 2,182 2,191 2,338 2,414 2,248 2,345 2,330 2,302 2,200 2022 2,332 2,297 2,345 2,380 2,142 2,066 1,985 2,073 1,870 2,000 2,100 2,216 2,151 2023 2,201 2,093 2,115 2,149 2,084 2,123 2,109 2,154 2,252 2,134 2,188 2,027 2,136 2024 2,086 2,080 2,056 2,129 2,221 2,147 2,107 1,995 2,000 2,034 1,988 1,990 2,069 2025 1,921 1,957 2,033 1,903 1,958 1,974 1,993 1,947 1,955 1,968 1,998 1,940 1,962 2026 1,995 1,917 1,878 1,930 1,991 1,946 1,842 1,855 1,919
Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF) ($/t) Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF) monthly prices, 1990s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 1992 515.7 505.7 523.1 533.3 520.8 551 633.3 655.3 624.8 540.5 462.1 456.7 543.5 1993 436.9 415 405.4 422.1 407.7 397.1 389.6 389.9 376.3 386.1 401.6 460.4 407.3 1994 491.4 484.5 451.1 440.4 475.9 524.5 579 570.6 613 640.6 679.3 634.4 548.7 1995 664.8 577.8 582 605.8 595.9 610.3 622.4 623.4 591.3 639.4 710.5 728 629.3 1996 709.9 768.4 816.7 812 841 796.6 783.8 816.2 794.3 741.1 720.3 689.4 774.1 1997 691.5 657.9 693.6 641.6 617.8 614 633.5 607.4 632.9 598.2 562.6 525.7 623.1 1998 530.7 515.6 559 571.8 542.7 526.5 543.6 526.8 519.5 493.2 493 500.6 526.9 1999 491.6 513 506.8 517.1 540.7 495.5 495.1 502.2 506.5 496.4 477.6 478.7 501.8
Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF) monthly prices, 2000s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 2000 471.9 453.3 441.8 423 412.6 419.6 453.1 472.6 488 484.8 465.9 463.5 454.2 2001 478.5 501.7 498.8 477.6 466.1 444.7 462.2 483.6 464.8 468.6 486.7 482.9 476.4 2002 511.1 480.9 480.7 472.1 450.4 440 446 424.3 420.5 418.2 441.4 441.2 452.2 2003 444.8 474.5 454.7 438 462.3 467.7 513.3 493.8 521 587.4 622.7 690.1 514.2 2004 753.6 885.2 878.1 747 804.1 863.7 931.3 916.6 932.2 932.9 966.3 972.3 881.9 2005 954.2 973 1,002 980.5 985.3 982.6 857.5 887.4 932.8 999.4 1,018 1,120 974.4 2006 1,258 1,267 1,194 1,171 1,168 963.6 1,053 1,179 1,347 1,526 1,626 1,709 1,288 2007 1,664 1,775 1,909 1,984 2,106 2,437 3,072 3,115 3,228 3,723 3,320 2,616 2,579 2008 2,622 3,090 3,013 2,835 2,216 1,861 1,960 1,903 1,872 1,494 1,286 968.2 2,093 2009 1,145 1,100 1,247 1,394 1,447 1,667 1,674 1,893 2,205 2,228 2,303 2,326 1,719
Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF) monthly prices, 2010s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 2010 2,352 2,126 2,163 2,272 1,877 1,707 1,844 2,083 2,193 2,384 2,365 2,413 2,148 2011 2,584 2,596 2,624 2,719 2,420 2,525 2,681 2,393 2,288 1,960 1,994 2,025 2,401 2012 2,100 2,121 2,057 2,074 1,999 1,851 1,881 1,898 2,178 2,142 2,182 2,280 2,064 2013 2,334 2,366 2,173 2,024 2,032 2,100 2,048 2,173 2,085 2,115 2,090 2,137 2,140 2014 2,143 2,108 2,053 2,087 2,097 2,107 2,193 2,237 2,117 2,034 2,030 1,938 2,095 2015 1,843 1,796 1,792 2,005 1,992 1,830 1,763 1,704 1,684 1,720 1,618 1,707 1,788 2016 1,646 1,766 1,802 1,732 1,708 1,713 1,835 1,836 1,948 2,024 2,181 2,210 1,867 2017 2,243 2,312 2,281 2,221 2,125 2,133 2,270 2,348 2,374 2,498 2,461 2,510 2,315 2018 2,584 2,581 2,390 2,352 2,361 2,436 2,207 2,054 2,023 1,988 1,937 1,972 2,240 2019 1,997 2,063 2,046 1,939 1,815 1,900 1,976 2,045 2,072 2,184 2,021 1,901 1,997
Lead, 99.97% pure, LME spot (IMF) monthly prices, 2020s, $/t Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average 2020 1,924 1,873 1,734 1,658 1,626 1,745 1,818 1,936 1,873 1,776 1,916 2,020 1,825 2021 2,015 2,080 1,948 2,012 2,183 2,191 2,338 2,414 2,248 2,345 2,330 2,302 2,200 2022 2,332 2,297 2,345 2,386 2,148 2,075 1,985 2,069 1,870 2,000 2,100 2,226 2,153 2023 2,207 2,093 2,115 2,145 2,088 2,123 2,109 2,155 2,252 2,131 2,188 2,027 2,136 2024 2,087 2,080 2,055 2,125 2,220 2,147 2,107 1,999 2,003 2,034 1,988 1,988 2,069 2025 1,922 1,957 2,031 1,906 1,957 1,974 1,993 1,947 1,955 1,968 1,998 1,940 1,962 2026 1,993 1,917 1,878 1,928 1,990 1,946 1,843 1,928
Method Nominal prices are the source's monthly averages in US dollars, stored in the source's unit and never mixed on one chart. Real prices divide each month by the US consumer price index for all urban consumers (BLS series CPIAUCSL, via FRED) and multiply by the 2024 average, so they read as "2024 dollars". Changes are ratios of monthly averages. The all-time high is the highest monthly average, not an intraday peak.
Downloads Cite as: Commodity Origins, "Lead price history (1960–2026)", https://commodityorigins.com/prices/lead/, data 2026-09-02. Data updated 6 September 2026.