Gold Historical Data
Over 55 years of gold price history. Pick any date range to see real returns, drawdowns, and year-by-year performance.
Portfolio Growth Oct 12, 2021 – Oct 12, 2026
Showing growth of $10,000 invested in gold.
Annual Returns
| Year | Start Price | End Price | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,314.40 | $4,234.20 | -1.86% |
| 2025 | $2,658.90 | $4,325.60 | +62.68% |
| 2024 | $2,064.40 | $2,629.20 | +27.36% |
| 2023 | $1,839.70 | $2,062.40 | +12.11% |
| 2022 | $1,799.40 | $1,819.70 | +1.13% |
| 2021 | $1,758.30 | $1,827.50 | +3.94% |
About This Gold Price Data
This tool uses daily gold futures prices (GC=F) going back to 1968, updated automatically each trading day. Gold's price history includes some of the most dramatic moves of any major asset — a near-25x rise during the 1970s stagflation era, followed by a multi-decade slide, then a strong bull run through the 2000s and 2010s. Set the date range above to any of these periods to see exact return and drawdown figures.
For a rate that projects gold forward using this same historical data, use the gold ROI calculator, or compare gold against equities directly with the portfolio comparison tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did gold perform during the 1970s stagflation?
Gold rose dramatically through the 1970s as inflation surged and the U.S. left the gold standard, from roughly $35/oz to over $800/oz by January 1980. Set the date range to 1971–1980 above to see the exact figures.
How did gold perform during the 2008 financial crisis?
Gold initially dipped alongside other assets during the acute crisis in late 2008 before recovering and then rallying strongly through 2009–2011 as investors sought a safe haven and central banks expanded money supply.
Is this the spot price or a gold ETF price?
This is gold futures (GC=F) pricing, which closely tracks the spot price. It doesn't include ETF-specific factors like expense ratios or tracking error, which would slightly reduce returns for an actual fund holding.
How does gold compare to inflation over time?
Over multi-decade periods gold has generally outpaced inflation, but with long stretches (such as the 1980s and 1990s) where it lagged well behind. It's best viewed as a long-horizon inflation hedge rather than a reliable year-to-year one.