Gold (XAU/USD): returns since 2000
Gold is the world's oldest store of value, the asset that pays no interest, owes nothing to anyone and outlasts currencies. It has no cash flow and no measurable intrinsic value, so its price is set by demand for a monetary metal alone.
Our closing-price series for gold (XAU/USD) runs from 2000, in U.S. dollars. The honest test is against the purchasing power of the dollar: the comparison with U.S. inflation (CPI) shows the gain in real terms, after the dollar itself lost ground.
Gold's modern era began in August 1971, when the United States ended the dollar's convertibility into the metal and let the price float freely for the first time in generations. Two stretches define our 2000 series: a long climb through the 2000s that accelerated during the 2008 crisis, peaking above $1,900 an ounce in 2011, and a fresh run to new highs in the 2020s as inflation returned. The pattern is consistent, gold tends to shine when confidence in the dollar and in markets is shaken.
Cumulative return by window (in U.S. dollars)
| Window | Cumulative |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 25% |
| 5 years | 127% |
| 10 years | 205% |
| 20 years | 549% |
Largest historical drop: -42% · annual volatility: 17% .
All pages
- Had I invested: $10,000 in Gold in 2000
- Had I invested: $10,000 in Gold in 2010
- Had I invested: $10,000 in Gold in 2020
- Had I invested: $1,000 in Gold in 2015
- Gold vs Inflation (CPI)
- Bitcoin vs Gold
- S&P 500 vs Gold
- New York real estate vs Gold
- Miami real estate vs Gold
- Pound vs Gold
- Euro vs Gold
- Australian Dollar vs Gold
- Canadian Dollar vs Gold
- Best and worst year for Gold
- Comparisons
Descriptive, educational content computed from official public data. Not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.