Commodities · Metals · World Bank, monthly
Gold price since 1960
The monthly World Bank price per troy ounce, in US dollars of each month. Switch to “After inflation” to see it in today's dollars.
In US dollars of the time
$4,105 per troy ounce in October 2026. In 1960 the price averaged $35.27, so it is 116 times as high now. After inflation ($35.27 then is $400 in October 2026 dollars) it is 10.3 times as high.
Change over 10, 20 and 30 years
| Period | Price then | Change | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years, from Oct 2016 | $1,267 | ×3.24 | +12.5% |
| 20 years, from Oct 2006 | $586 | ×7.01 | +10.2% |
| 30 years, from Oct 1996 | $381 | ×10.8 | +8.2% |
| Since 1960 (1960 average) | $35.27 | ×116 | +7.4% |
“Per year” is the compound annual rate. “After inflation” (the switch at the top) adjusts the prices for US consumer prices.
Average price by decade
| Decade | Average | Change vs previous decade |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | $36.11 | — |
| 1970s | $132 | ×3.67 |
| 1980s | $418 | ×3.15 |
| 1990s | $351 | −16% |
| 2000s | $522 | +49% |
| 2010s | $1,347 | ×2.58 |
| 2020s (2020–Oct 2026) | $2,473 | +84% |
Average price by year
Show all 67 years
| Year | Average | Change vs previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 * | $4,507 | +31% |
| 2025 | $3,442 | +44% |
| 2024 | $2,388 | +23% |
| 2023 | $1,943 | +7.9% |
| 2022 | $1,801 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $1,800 | +1.7% |
| 2020 | $1,770 | +27% |
| 2019 | $1,392 | +9.7% |
| 2018 | $1,269 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | $1,258 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | $1,249 | +7.6% |
| 2015 | $1,161 | −8.3% |
| 2014 | $1,266 | −10% |
| 2013 | $1,411 | −15% |
| 2012 | $1,670 | +6.4% |
| 2011 | $1,569 | +28% |
| 2010 | $1,225 | +26% |
| 2009 | $973 | +12% |
| 2008 | $872 | +25% |
| 2007 | $697 | +15% |
| 2006 | $604 | +36% |
| 2005 | $445 | +8.7% |
| 2004 | $409 | +13% |
| 2003 | $364 | +17% |
| 2002 | $310 | +14% |
| 2001 | $271 | −2.9% |
| 2000 | $279 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | $279 | −5.2% |
| 1998 | $294 | −11% |
| 1997 | $331 | −15% |
| 1996 | $388 | +0.9% |
| 1995 | $384 | 0% |
| 1994 | $384 | +6.7% |
| 1993 | $360 | +4.7% |
| 1992 | $344 | −5.1% |
| 1991 | $362 | −5.6% |
| 1990 | $383 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | $381 | −13% |
| 1988 | $437 | −2.1% |
| 1987 | $446 | +21% |
| 1986 | $368 | +16% |
| 1985 | $318 | −12% |
| 1984 | $360 | −15% |
| 1983 | $423 | +12% |
| 1982 | $376 | −18% |
| 1981 | $460 | −24% |
| 1980 | $608 | +98% |
| 1979 | $307 | +59% |
| 1978 | $193 | +31% |
| 1977 | $148 | +18% |
| 1976 | $125 | −22% |
| 1975 | $161 | +1.1% |
| 1974 | $159 | +64% |
| 1973 | $97.33 | +67% |
| 1972 | $58.16 | +43% |
| 1971 | $40.80 | +14% |
| 1970 | $35.94 | −13% |
| 1969 | $41.08 | +5.5% |
| 1968 | $38.93 | +11% |
| 1967 † | $34.95 | −0.5% |
| 1966 † | $35.13 | 0% |
| 1965 † | $35.12 | +0.1% |
| 1964 † | $35.10 | 0% |
| 1963 † | $35.09 | −0.4% |
| 1962 † | $35.23 | −0.1% |
| 1961 † | $35.25 | −0.1% |
| 1960 † | $35.27 | — |
† one figure for the whole year in the source. * 2026: average of Jan 2026–Oct 2026. Source: World Bank, Commodity Price Data (Pink Sheet), CC BY 4.0. Inflation adjustment: US CPI (Robert Shiller / BLS).
Gold vs the S&P 500 since 1960
What $1 put into gold or into US stocks in 1960 is worth now, after 66 years: gold at the World Bank price, stocks as the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested.
The S&P 500 with dividends grew more from 5 of the 7 start years below; gold grew more from 2000 and 2020.
| Start | Gold | Per year | S&P 500 with dividends | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 (average) | $116 | +7.4% | $868 | +10.7% |
| Jan 1970 | $117 | +8.8% | $398 | +11.1% |
| Jan 1980 | $6.08 | +3.9% | $217 | +12.2% |
| Jan 1990 | $10 | +6.5% | $46.6 | +11.0% |
| Jan 2000 | $14.4 | +10.5% | $8.72 | +8.4% |
| Jan 2010 | $3.67 | +8.1% | $9.24 | +14.2% |
| Jan 2020 | $2.63 | +15.4% | $2.6 | +15.2% |
What $1 put in at the start is worth now, in US dollars; the larger result is in bold. Gold pays no income, while the S&P 500 line reinvests every dividend. Storage, insurance, taxes and fees are ignored for both. The S&P 500 is Robert Shiller's monthly series (average of daily closes); its dividends from July 2026 are estimates. The S&P 500 since 1871, with dividends and inflation
Related prices
Metals: Silver · Platinum · Copper · Aluminum · Nickel · Iron ore
How it is calculated
- Prices: World Bank Commodity Price Data (the “Pink Sheet”), monthly averages in US dollars, edition updated November 3, 2026, published under CC BY 4.0.
- After inflation (the switch at the top of the page) shows prices in October 2026 dollars: each month's price × CPI of October 2026 ÷ CPI of that month. CPI is the US consumer price index (CPI-U) from Robert Shiller's dataset, which uses the BLS figures. Shiller marks the latest CPI as an estimate (“Sept/Oct CPI estimated”), so prices after inflation may shift slightly when the final figures come out.
- Years with one figure: for some early years the World Bank gives one price per year and repeats it in every month. Such a year is one point on the charts; after inflation it is adjusted with that year's average CPI.
- Changes compare the average of the first year of data (usually 1960) with the latest month, Oct 2026; changes over 10, 20 and 30 years compare the same month. Commodity prices swing a lot, so start and end dates matter.