Gold Price All-Time High
Record close
$5,318.40
January 29, 2026
Record intraday
$5,586.20
COMEX gold futures
Latest close
$4,320.00
18.8% below the record
Spot today
$4,291.00
as of
Record computed from our price data at build and raised automatically when a new high is set · updated
Quick answer: Gold's all-time high close is $5,318.40 per ounce, set on January 29, 2026, with an intraday peak of $5,586.20 the same day, in COMEX gold futures. Gold's latest futures close, $4,320.00, is 18.8% below that record (today's spot price is $4,291.00). This page recalculates the record from our price data several times a day, so it updates automatically if a new high is set.
Gold price, past five years
Data sources: Spot price via api.gold-api.com · COMEX futures (GC=F) via Yahoo Finance. Prices are for informational purposes only and may be delayed. Figures on this page were generated . Gold is quoted in US dollars per troy ounce.
"All-time high" depends on how you measure it
A record sounds like a single number. It's actually three or four different numbers, and news headlines don't always say which one they mean.
Intraday high vs closing high. The intraday high is the single highest trade during a session. The closing high is the highest settlement price at the end of a trading day. Intraday highs are always higher, sometimes much higher in a fast market, as the gap between $5,586.20 and $5,318.40 shows. We report both, and our chart plots closes.
Futures vs spot vs benchmark. Our record comes from COMEX front-month futures, which usually trade a little above spot. The LBMA Gold Price, set twice daily in London, has its own record, and a dealer's spot feed has another. They'll be close but rarely identical, which is why two reputable sources can quote slightly different "all-time highs" for the same day.
Nominal vs inflation-adjusted. This matters most over long periods. A dollar in 1980 bought far more than a dollar today, so comparing prices across decades without adjusting for inflation overstates how much gold has really risen. See the next section.
Which currency. Gold sets records in different currencies at different times. When the dollar is weak, gold can hit a record in dollars while it's below its record in euros or yen, and the reverse. This site reports US dollars.
The record timeline
| Record | When | Approximate price | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of the fixed price | 1971 | $35 (official) | Nixon closes the gold window |
| First great peak | January 1980 | about $850 | Inflation, oil shocks, geopolitical crisis |
| Crisis-era peak | September 2011 | just over $1,900 | Eurozone debt crisis, US downgrade |
| Pandemic peak | August 2020 | just over $2,000 | Emergency stimulus, near-zero rates |
| $3,000 crossed | March 2025 | $3,000 | Central-bank buying, record inflows |
| Current record close | January 29, 2026 | $5,318.40 | See gold price history |
Each of the earlier peaks was followed by a significant decline: about two decades below the 1980 level, and four years of falling prices after 2011. Records in gold have not historically been a signal that the price will keep rising.
Nominal vs inflation-adjusted: which records are real?
Adjusting for inflation with the US consumer price index changes the picture considerably:
- The 1980 peak of about $850 is equivalent to roughly $3,500–$3,700 in 2026 dollars. For more than 40 years that inflation-adjusted figure stood as gold's true record. The 2011 and 2020 peaks were nominal records but fell well short of it in real terms.
- The 2011 peak of about $1,900 is equivalent to roughly $2,700–$2,800 in 2026 dollars.
- The 2025–26 run is the first time gold has clearly exceeded its 1980 peak in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms. Its record close of $5,318.40 is well above either figure.
The inflation-adjusted figures are rounded because the precise number depends on the inflation index and the exact month used. The conclusion doesn't depend on those details.
Drawdowns: what happened after previous highs
| Peak | Low that followed | Decline | Time to recover the nominal peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1980, ~$850 | 1999, ~$250 | about −70% | about 28 years (2008) |
| September 2011, ~$1,900 | December 2015, ~$1,050 | about −45% | about 9 years (2020) |
| January 29, 2026, $5,318.40 | so far $3,992.10 (July 16, 2026) | −24.9% so far | — |
These are two data points, not a rule, but they're a sober counterweight to record-high headlines. Someone who bought at either previous peak waited a very long time to get back to even in nominal terms, and longer still after inflation.
What a record high does and doesn't mean
It does mean the market price of gold is higher than it has ever been, in the currency and measure quoted. For anyone selling gold, whether jewelry, coins or scrap, a high price is simply good timing. See our gold melt value calculator.
It doesn't mean gold is "overvalued" or "about to fall", and it doesn't mean it will keep rising. Gold has no earnings or yield to anchor a valuation, which is precisely why forecasts vary so widely.
For buyers, a record high is a reason to think about position size and time horizon rather than to rush in or stay out. Buying a portion over time, rather than all at once, is one common way people handle the uncertainty.
Related pages
Gold price history · Gold to silver ratio · Gold price per ounce · Gold bullion price chart
FAQ
What is the highest gold price ever?
The record closing price is $5,318.40 per ounce (January 29, 2026), and the record intraday price is $5,586.20, in COMEX gold futures.
Is gold at an all-time high right now?
Gold's latest futures close, $4,320.00, is 18.8% below the record close. This page recalculates the gap several times a day.
Was gold higher in 1980 after inflation?
It was, until the 2025–26 run. The 1980 peak equals roughly $3,500–$3,700 in 2026 dollars, which gold has since exceeded.
Why do different websites show different all-time highs?
They may use intraday or closing prices, spot, futures or the LBMA benchmark, and different currencies. All can be correct for what they measure.
How long did it take gold to recover after the 2011 peak?
About nine years. It fell roughly 45% by late 2015 and didn't set a new nominal high until August 2020.
Data sources: Spot price via api.gold-api.com · COMEX futures (GC=F) via Yahoo Finance. Prices are for informational purposes only and may be delayed. Figures on this page were generated . Gold is quoted in US dollars per troy ounce.