Gold Price History · The Free-Float Era

2009

The Recovery Rally

As the world climbed out of the financial crisis, gold powered to fresh records on a tide of stimulus.

Average price
$972/oz
In 2025 dollars
$1,459/oz
Change on the year
+11.5%
After inflation
+11.9%

2009 in context · real value, 1989–2025

1990200020102020 $1,459
Inflation-adjusted to 2025 dollars. See all 768 years →

Emerging from the 2008 financial crisis, gold did not retreat — it accelerated. Massive monetary stimulus, near-zero interest rates, and fears of inflation drove the metal to new record highs through 2009. The year also brought a symbolic shift: China disclosed that its gold reserves had grown substantially, an early signal of the eastward shift in official demand that our reserves database tracks. The march toward the 2011 peak was now in full stride.

Key events of 2009

  1. 2009-04-24

    China reveals reserve growth

    Beijing discloses a sharp rise in its gold reserves, signaling the eastward shift in demand.

What would $10,000 of gold in 2009 be worth today?

Run the numbers across gold, stocks, housing, and bonds — adjusted for inflation.

Calculate 2009 →

How gold did in 2009

Value at year-end of $10,000 invested on 1 January 2009.

Gold
$11,151 +11.5%
S&P 500 (total return)
$12,594 +25.9%
US housing
$9,615 −3.9%
Inflation (CPI)
$9,964 −0.4%

Annual-average basis. Gold: Officer & Williamson; S&P 500 & Treasuries: Damodaran (NYU); housing: Shiller; CPI: BLS. Methodology →

Related years

Sources. Gold price: Officer & Williamson, The Price of Gold, 1257–Present (annual average); inflation adjustment by US CPI (BLS / Officer & Williamson). Asset comparison from the calculator dataset. Figures are annual averages. Full methodology →