Advanced Gold Investment Calculator
Model a lump sum, a monthly contribution plan, or both together. Results include a money-weighted annual return, an inflation-adjusted figure, and an adjustable holding cost, because those three are where most back-of-envelope gold maths goes wrong. Everything runs against the same historical series (back to 1968) used on the homepage chart, valued today at the live price. Just want a quick answer? Try the basic calculator.
| Measure | Nominal | After inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Value today | $100,145 | $71,757 |
| Total return | +147.27% | +77.18% |
| Annualised (IRR)Money-weighted, accounts for when each contribution was made | +13.87% | +10.19% |
The same $40,500 invested as a single purchase on Sep 1, 2016 would be worth $128,848 today: $28,704 more than spreading it out, because gold rose over this window and earlier money had longer to work.
A 0.4% annual holding cost is applied monthly to the metal held. Dealer spreads and tax are not modelled, and every figure is arithmetic on a historical series rather than a forecast.
Frequently asked questions
+Is dollar-cost averaging better than a lump sum for gold?
Neither wins every time. Lump sum tends to do better when gold trends upward over the period, since every dollar is invested sooner. Dollar-cost averaging tends to do better when the entry point happens to be a local high, since later purchases average down the cost basis. The calculator runs both against the same historical window so you can see which would have won and by how much.
+What counts as the 'value today' in this calculator?
Your purchase dates are priced from the same daily gold series (back to 1968) shown on the homepage chart, then valued today against the live spot price shown across the rest of the site.
+Do these results account for costs and tax?
Only the holding cost you enter. The calculator models metal value, so it excludes dealer spreads, insurance, fund expense ratios and any tax. Real returns after those costs will be lower, and the gap is widest on small or frequently traded amounts.
+Can I use this to predict future gold returns?
No. Every figure is computed from a historical series, so it shows what a given schedule would have produced over a past window. It is arithmetic on past prices, not a forecast, and past performance carries no guarantee about future prices.