Abstract: Disclosed is an electric contact material which comprises a contact substrate and a coating layer formed integrally on the surface of the contact substrate. The coating layer is formed of an Ag-Li-La alloy containing Au or/and Pd, and has a surface layer portion formed as a concentration gradient layer whose Au or/and Pd content decreases as a subsurface portion is approached. The Au or/and Pd concentration of the surface of the surface layer portion ranges from 50 to 95% by weight. The contact material is manufactured by forming an Au or/and Pd layer on the Ag-Li-La alloy and then heat-treating the whole resulting structure, thereby thermally diffusing the Au or/and Pd. This electric contact material has excellent corrosion resistance and lubricity, and its contact resistance changes little with time.