Lead Scrap Price per Pound: Historical Chart

Analyze 12-month historical price trends, 90-day moving averages, and spot commodity spreads for Lead scrap across US recycling markets. Evaluate current cyclical momentum against historical baselines and export verified time-series data for market analysis.

Price history Updated: Oct 5, 2026 · US Scrap Reporting Sources
Current Benchmark $0.468/lb
LME Lead $0.862/lb
Recovery of Spot 54.3%

Interactive Historical Chart

Track physical scrapyard scale price averages against wholesale exchange futures from 30 days to 5 years to evaluate cyclical momentum and historical extremes.

Download CSV
US Yard Scale Average LME Lead
2025-10-14 · avg $0.250 · $0.250–$0.250 · 1 sources · spot $0.892 · 28% of spot2025-10-15 · avg $0.410 · $0.410–$0.410 · 1 sources · spot $0.900 · 45.6% of spot2025-11-03 · avg $0.560 · $0.560–$0.560 · 1 sources · spot $0.918 · 61% of spot2025-11-05 · avg $0.480 · $0.480–$0.480 · 1 sources · spot $0.914 · 52.5% of spot2025-11-10 · avg $0.510 · $0.510–$0.510 · 1 sources · spot $0.931 · 54.8% of spot2025-11-11 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.933 · 53.6% of spot2025-11-24 · avg $0.480 · $0.480–$0.480 · 1 sources · spot $0.904 · 53.1% of spot2025-11-26 · avg $0.250 · $0.250–$0.250 · 1 sources · spot $0.901 · 27.8% of spot2025-12-05 · avg $0.475 · $0.450–$0.500 · 2 sources · spot $0.910 · 52.2% of spot2025-12-12 · avg $0.350 · $0.300–$0.400 · 2 sources · spot $0.893 · 39.2% of spot2025-12-14 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.893 · 39.2% of spot2025-12-19 · avg $0.427 · $0.370–$0.510 · 3 sources · spot $0.900 · 47.4% of spot2025-12-20 · avg $0.260 · $0.260–$0.260 · 1 sources · spot $0.900 · 28.9% of spot2026-01-05 · avg $0.490 · $0.490–$0.490 · 1 sources · spot $0.915 · 53.6% of spot2026-01-08 · avg $0.560 · $0.560–$0.560 · 1 sources · spot $0.917 · 61.1% of spot2026-01-10 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.926 · 37.8% of spot2026-01-13 · avg $0.230 · $0.230–$0.230 · 1 sources · spot $0.931 · 24.7% of spot2026-01-14 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.939 · 58.5% of spot2026-01-15 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.952 · 57.8% of spot2026-01-16 · avg $0.475 · $0.440–$0.510 · 2 sources · spot $0.928 · 51.2% of spot2026-01-28 · avg $0.300 · $0.300–$0.300 · 1 sources · spot $0.913 · 32.9% of spot2026-01-29 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.911 · 49.4% of spot2026-02-02 · avg $0.180 · $0.180–$0.180 · 1 sources · spot $0.888 · 20.3% of spot2026-02-11 · avg $0.350 · $0.300–$0.400 · 2 sources · spot $0.906 · 38.6% of spot2026-02-17 · avg $0.394 · $0.170–$0.650 · 58 sources · spot $0.888 · 44.3% of spot2026-03-04 · avg $0.580 · $0.550–$0.620 · 5 sources · spot $0.881 · 65.8% of spot2026-03-22 · avg $0.438 · $0.400–$0.500 · 4 sources · spot $0.860 · 50.9% of spot2026-03-23 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.860 · 52.3% of spot2026-03-24 · avg $0.550 · $0.500–$0.600 · 2 sources · spot $0.861 · 63.9% of spot2026-03-27 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.856 · 52.5% of spot2026-04-02 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.878 · 56.9% of spot2026-04-06 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.874 · 51.5% of spot2026-04-08 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.879 · 62.6% of spot2026-04-09 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.876 · 45.7% of spot2026-04-11 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.866 · 57.7% of spot2026-04-13 · avg $0.520 · $0.520–$0.520 · 1 sources · spot $0.866 · 60% of spot2026-04-14 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.865 · 52% of spot2026-04-15 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.871 · 63.1% of spot2026-04-19 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.891 · 56.1% of spot2026-04-25 · avg $0.420 · $0.420–$0.420 · 1 sources · spot $0.889 · 47.2% of spot2026-04-26 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.889 · 56.2% of spot2026-04-30 · avg $0.520 · $0.520–$0.520 · 1 sources · spot $0.883 · 58.9% of spot2026-05-02 · avg $0.425 · $0.350–$0.500 · 2 sources · spot $0.884 · 48.1% of spot2026-05-04 · avg $0.360 · $0.360–$0.360 · 1 sources · spot $0.884 · 40.7% of spot2026-05-05 · avg $0.450 · $0.300–$0.550 · 3 sources · spot $0.884 · 50.9% of spot2026-05-07 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.896 · 50.2% of spot2026-05-08 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.899 · 38.9% of spot2026-05-09 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.895 · 44.7% of spot2026-05-10 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.895 · 50.3% of spot2026-05-11 · avg $0.280 · $0.280–$0.280 · 1 sources · spot $0.895 · 31.3% of spot2026-05-12 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.901 · 50% of spot2026-05-13 · avg $0.490 · $0.430–$0.550 · 2 sources · spot $0.906 · 54.1% of spot2026-05-14 · avg $0.475 · $0.400–$0.550 · 2 sources · spot $0.911 · 52.2% of spot2026-05-18 · avg $0.405 · $0.360–$0.450 · 2 sources · spot $0.895 · 45.2% of spot2026-05-24 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.915 · 54.6% of spot2026-05-25 · avg $0.375 · $0.350–$0.400 · 2 sources · spot $0.915 · 41% of spot2026-05-26 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.915 · 49.2% of spot2026-05-27 · avg $0.437 · $0.400–$0.500 · 3 sources · spot $0.915 · 47.8% of spot2026-05-28 · avg $0.400 · $0.350–$0.450 · 2 sources · spot $0.912 · 43.9% of spot2026-05-29 · avg $0.580 · $0.580–$0.580 · 1 sources · spot $0.918 · 63.2% of spot2026-05-31 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.916 · 43.7% of spot2026-06-01 · avg $0.425 · $0.350–$0.500 · 2 sources · spot $0.916 · 46.4% of spot2026-06-04 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.917 · 38.2% of spot2026-06-09 · avg $0.360 · $0.360–$0.360 · 1 sources · spot $0.996 · 36.2% of spot2026-06-10 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.992 · 40.3% of spot2026-06-11 · avg $0.500 · $0.450–$0.550 · 2 sources · spot $0.982 · 50.9% of spot2026-06-12 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.979 · 40.9% of spot2026-06-15 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.985 · 35.6% of spot2026-06-30 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.939 · 37.3% of spot2026-07-02 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.851 · 47% of spot2026-07-17 · avg $0.300 · $0.300–$0.300 · 1 sources · spot $0.853 · 35.2% of spot2026-07-20 · avg $0.425 · $0.330–$0.520 · 2 sources · spot $0.853 · 49.9% of spot2026-07-23 · avg $0.450 · $0.450–$0.450 · 1 sources · spot $0.858 · 52.5% of spot2026-07-31 · avg $0.300 · $0.300–$0.300 · 1 sources · spot $0.854 · 35.1% of spot2026-08-01 · avg $0.310 · $0.310–$0.310 · 1 sources · spot $0.854 · 36.3% of spot2026-08-10 · avg $0.300 · $0.300–$0.300 · 1 sources · spot $0.864 · 34.7% of spot2026-08-11 · avg $0.340 · $0.340–$0.340 · 1 sources · spot $0.865 · 39.3% of spot2026-08-12 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.866 · 40.4% of spot2026-08-17 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.858 · 64.1% of spot2026-08-22 · avg $0.300 · $0.300–$0.300 · 1 sources · spot $0.863 · 34.8% of spot2026-08-25 · avg $0.406 · $0.350–$0.500 · 5 sources · spot $0.864 · 47% of spot2026-08-26 · avg $0.355 · $0.350–$0.360 · 2 sources · spot $0.867 · 40.9% of spot2026-08-27 · avg $0.390 · $0.380–$0.400 · 2 sources · spot $0.871 · 44.8% of spot2026-08-28 · avg $0.303 · $0.200–$0.450 · 4 sources · spot $0.865 · 35% of spot2026-08-29 · avg $0.380 · $0.380–$0.380 · 1 sources · spot $0.865 · 43.9% of spot2026-08-31 · avg $0.250 · $0.250–$0.250 · 1 sources · spot $0.865 · 28.9% of spot2026-09-01 · avg $0.390 · $0.380–$0.400 · 2 sources · spot $0.871 · 44.8% of spot2026-09-07 · avg $0.410 · $0.410–$0.410 · 1 sources · spot $0.862 · 47.6% of spot2026-09-08 · avg $0.200 · $0.200–$0.200 · 1 sources · spot $0.869 · 23% of spot2026-09-09 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.868 · 40.3% of spot2026-09-10 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.863 · 63.7% of spot2026-09-11 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.859 · 46.6% of spot2026-09-14 · avg $0.375 · $0.250–$0.500 · 2 sources · spot $0.853 · 44% of spot2026-09-18 · avg $0.300 · $0.300–$0.300 · 1 sources · spot $0.873 · 34.4% of spot2026-09-22 · avg $0.540 · $0.540–$0.540 · 1 sources · spot $0.879 · 61.4% of spot2026-09-23 · avg $0.500 · $0.500–$0.500 · 1 sources · spot $0.874 · 57.2% of spot2026-09-29 · avg $0.550 · $0.550–$0.550 · 1 sources · spot $0.864 · 63.7% of spot2026-10-03 · avg $0.350 · $0.350–$0.350 · 1 sources · spot $0.839 · 41.7% of spot2026-10-05 · avg $0.400 · $0.400–$0.400 · 1 sources · spot $0.850 · 47.1% of spot$0.996$0.1702025-10-142026-10-05
Hover or tap the chart for date, average, range, and source count.

Hover or tap any date to inspect the daily yard payout, reported price band (low–high), and exchange recovery ratio.

Market Range & Key Benchmarks

Compare physical cash payouts reported at US scale counters against commercial exchange settlement prices and wholesale industrial spreads.

1. US Scrapyard Scale Benchmarks

Aggregated cash prices paid to independent haulers, tradespeople, and commercial accounts across the United States
Current Yard Avg $0.468/lb National weighted average
Scrap Avg 30D $0.468/lb Short-term momentum baseline
Scrap Avg 90D $0.468/lb Cyclical quarterly average
52-Week Scrap Range $0.170 – $0.650 52-week low & high scale ticket rates

2. Exchange Futures & Wholesale Spread

Commercial wholesale benchmark on LME Lead
LME Lead $0.862/lb Virgin refined spot close
24H Spot Change +0.96% Daily commodity fluctuation
52W Exchange Range $0.839 – $1.01 Futures high / low bounds
Scrap Recovery Ratio 54.3% Yards pay ~54% of spot (refining spread)

Average Monthly Price Table

Historical monthly average scale prices with month-over-month percentage changes, highlighting annual price peaks and market troughs.

Month Avg Price ($/lb) Monthly Change Reporting Yards
2026-10 $0.375 -8.5% 2 yards
2026-09 $0.410 +14.5% 6 yards
2026-08 Low $0.358 -6.5% 12 yards
2026-07 $0.383 -5.7% 4 yards
2026-06 $0.406 -5.6% 7 yards
2026-05 $0.430 -11.9% 10 yards
2026-04 $0.488 -4.7% 6 yards
2026-03 High $0.512 +31.6% 9 yards
2026-02 $0.389 -12.2% 60 yards
2026-01 $0.443 +12.7% 7 yards
2025-12 $0.393 -15.1% 8 yards
2025-11 $0.463 0% 4 yards

Market Pulse & Price Outlook

Neutral / Range-Bound

Scrap is currently paying 45.7% below the Lead price. The gap mostly reflects sorting, melting, and refining costs. The 90-day average is $0.468/lb, and the range so far this year is $0.170 to $0.650/lb.

💡
Actionable Takeaway: Prices are holding near their 90-day baseline. Sorting and cleaning material will deliver greater immediate returns than waiting for market swings.

How Lead Scrap Grades Relate to This Chart

This chart tracks the primary national benchmark grade for lead reported across US recycling facilities. Secondary and mixed grades generally trade in a stable relationship to this benchmark curve, rising and falling in lockstep with national market momentum.

Load Preparation vs. Market Timing

For most haulers and tradespeople, properly grading and separating scrap adds more profit than trying to time short-term market swings. Stripping insulation from copper wire or unbolting steel attachments from aluminum coils can increase payout by 30% to 50% immediately, far outweighing normal weekly market fluctuations.

Reading the 90-Day Moving Baseline

Daily yard quotes can experience short-term noise due to localized bin capacity and temporary freight shortages. The 90-day moving average smooths out temporary spikes, giving you an objective reference to determine whether today's scale quote represents a strong cyclical high or an oversold market floor.

Scrap Value Calculator

Estimate your cash payout before you haul. Select your metal grade and enter your load weight to see what your scrap is worth at the scale based on verified yard averages and price spreads.

Unit
Quick weights:

Frequently Asked Questions

Common answers on scrap metal grading standards, scale payout rules, sorting methods, and scale ticket calculations.

Why does my local scrap yard offer a different rate than this chart?

This chart displays the aggregated national benchmark across reporting US facilities. Local scale payouts differ based on freight distances to regional smelters, mill intake demand, processing volume, and deduction for surface contamination. Use this chart to verify fair market momentum before negotiating at your local scale.

What does the dashed exchange benchmark line represent?

The dashed line reflects commercial futures contracts on the COMEX or LME for 99.99% pure refined metal. Industrial recycling mills use exchange settlement prices to establish weekly buying programs, while retail yards typically adjust scale prices on a 7 to 14-day lag.

What is the Scrap-to-Spot Recovery Ratio and why does it matter?

The recovery ratio (currently trading around 54.3% of spot) measures how closely scrap payouts track wholesale exchange metal value. The spread covers processing costs, furnace melt-loss, freight, and dealer operating margin. A rising ratio indicates aggressive yard buying, while a contracting ratio signals cautious mill intake.

How often is historical price data updated and can I export it?

ScrapMetalIndex records scale transactions daily across reporting US scrap yards. You can export complete rolling daily time series data in CSV format anytime by clicking the "Download CSV" button above the chart.