Gold price at a glance
Gold price chart
Gold price change over time
| Period | Start month | Start price | Change to Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Sep 2025 | $3,668 | +17.7% |
| 5Y | Sep 2021 | $1,775 | +143.3% |
| 10Y | Sep 2016 | $1,327 | +225.5% |
| 20Y | Sep 2006 | $598 | +622.2% |
The best full year in this data was 1980 (+98.2% on the annual average). The worst was 1981 (-24.4%).
Gold price by year
Average, high, and low are taken from the monthly averages of each year. Close is the last month of the year.
| Year | Average | Close | High | Low | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Sep) | $4,552 | $4,319 | $5,020 | $4,073 | +32.3% |
| 2025 | $3,442 | $4,309 | $4,309 | $2,710 | +44.1% |
| 2024 | $2,388 | $2,648 | $2,690 | $2,023 | +22.9% |
| 2023 | $1,943 | $2,026 | $2,026 | $1,855 | +7.9% |
| 2022 | $1,801 | $1,798 | $1,948 | $1,664 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $1,800 | $1,790 | $1,867 | $1,718 | +1.7% |
| 2020 | $1,770 | $1,858 | $1,969 | $1,561 | +27.1% |
| 2019 | $1,393 | $1,479 | $1,511 | $1,284 | +9.7% |
| 2018 | $1,269 | $1,250 | $1,335 | $1,198 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | $1,258 | $1,264 | $1,314 | $1,192 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | $1,249 | $1,157 | $1,340 | $1,098 | +7.6% |
| 2015 | $1,161 | $1,076 | $1,251 | $1,076 | -8.3% |
| 2014 | $1,266 | $1,201 | $1,336 | $1,175 | -10.3% |
| 2013 | $1,412 | $1,222 | $1,672 | $1,222 | -15.4% |
| 2012 | $1,670 | $1,685 | $1,747 | $1,589 | +6.4% |
| 2011 | $1,569 | $1,640 | $1,772 | $1,360 | +28.1% |
| 2010 | $1,225 | $1,391 | $1,391 | $1,095 | +25.9% |
| 2009 | $973 | $1,135 | $1,135 | $859 | +11.6% |
| 2008 | $872 | $816 | $968 | $761 | +25.1% |
| 2007 | $697 | $803 | $806 | $631 | +15.3% |
| 2006 | $604 | $630 | $675 | $550 | +35.9% |
| 2005 | $445 | $510 | $510 | $422 | +8.7% |
| 2004 | $409 | $442 | $442 | $384 | +12.5% |
| 2003 | $364 | $407 | $407 | $328 | +17.3% |
| 2002 | $310 | $332 | $332 | $282 | +14.5% |
| 2001 | $271 | $276 | $283 | $260 | -2.9% |
| 2000 | $279 | $271 | $300 | $266 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | $279 | $283 | $311 | $256 | -5.2% |
| 1998 | $294 | $292 | $308 | $284 | -11.2% |
| 1997 | $331 | $289 | $355 | $289 | -14.6% |
| 1996 | $388 | $369 | $405 | $369 | +0.9% |
| 1995 | $384 | $387 | $391 | $377 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | $384 | $379 | $392 | $377 | +6.7% |
| 1993 | $360 | $383 | $392 | $329 | +4.7% |
| 1992 | $344 | $335 | $354 | $335 | -5.1% |
| 1991 | $362 | $362 | $384 | $349 | -5.5% |
| 1990 | $384 | $377 | $417 | $352 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | $381 | $409 | $409 | $362 | -12.7% |
| 1988 | $437 | $419 | $477 | $407 | -2.1% |
| 1987 | $446 | $486 | $486 | $401 | +21.4% |
| 1986 | $368 | $391 | $424 | $339 | +15.6% |
| 1985 | $318 | $322 | $330 | $299 | -11.8% |
| 1984 | $361 | $320 | $394 | $320 | -14.7% |
| 1983 | $423 | $388 | $491 | $382 | +12.5% |
| 1982 | $376 | $445 | $445 | $315 | -18.3% |
| 1981 | $460 | $410 | $557 | $409 | -24.4% |
| 1980 | $608 | $538 | $675 | $514 | +98.2% |
| 1979 | $307 | $455 | $455 | $227 | +58.8% |
| 1978 | $193 | $208 | $227 | $173 | +30.8% |
| 1977 | $148 | $160 | $162 | $132 | +18.3% |
| 1976 | $125 | $134 | $134 | $110 | -22.4% |
| 1975 | $161 | $139 | $180 | $139 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | $159 | $184 | $184 | $129 | +63.6% |
| 1973 | $97.33 | $107 | $120 | $65.00 | +67.3% |
| 1972 | $58.17 | $64.00 | $67.00 | $46.00 | +42.2% |
| 1971 | $40.92 | $43.00 | $43.00 | $38.00 | +14.2% |
| 1970 | $35.83 | $37.00 | $38.00 | $35.00 | -12.4% |
| 1969 | $40.92 | $35.00 | $43.00 | $35.00 | +5.1% |
| 1968 | $38.92 | $41.00 | $41.00 | $36.00 | +11.2% |
| 1967 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | $35.01 | $35.00 | $35.10 | $35.00 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | -0.2% |
| 1962 | $35.06 | $35.23 | $35.23 | $35.00 | +0.1% |
| 1961 | $35.02 | $35.00 | $35.25 | $35.00 | -0.5% |
| 1960 | $35.18 | $35.00 | $35.27 | $35.00 | — |
Common questions
What is the highest gold price in history?
The highest monthly average in this data is $5,020 per troy ounce in Feb 2026. Daily and intraday highs are higher than monthly averages, because an average smooths out the peaks.
How much has the gold price gone up in 10 years?
The monthly average rose from $1,327 in Sep 2016 to $4,319 in Sep 2026. That is a change of +225.5%.
What was the price of gold in 1970, 1980, 2000, and 2010?
1970: $35.83. 1980: $608. 2000: $279. 2010: $1,225. These are annual averages of the monthly prices, in U.S. dollars per troy ounce.
Why does this chart differ from a live gold price chart?
Each point is a monthly average, not a daily close. Monthly averages hide short spikes and dips. The live spot price at the top of this page is the current market price, so it can sit above or below the last monthly average.
Is the history adjusted for inflation?
No. All prices are nominal U.S. dollars, as the World Bank publishes them. A dollar in 1980 bought more than a dollar today, so the 1980 peak was larger in real terms than the chart shows.