$10,000 put into gold in January 2016 would be worth $38,500 today (+285%, +13.3% a year). The same amount in the S&P 500 $46,219, and in Treasury bills $12,816. Keeping up with inflation would have needed $14,139. Change the amount, start date or asset below, or invest every month.
$10,000 invested in January 2016, value today
Prices as of Oct 21, 2026, 21:00 UTC
Investment
Value today
Change
Per year
After inflation
GoldCOMEX gold
$38,500
+285%
+13.3%
+172%
SilverCOMEX silver
$41,930
+319%
+14.1%
+197%
BitcoinBTC
$1,945,878
+19,359%
+62.7%
+13,662%
S&P 500US stocks, dividends reinvested
$46,219
+362%
+15.2%
+227%
SensexIndian stocks, excluding dividends
$20,084
+101%
+6.6%
+42%
Treasury bills3-month US T-bills (cash)
$12,816
+28%
+2.3%
−9%
InflationAmount needed to keep up with US prices
$14,139
+41%
+3.2%
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"Per year" is the average annual return (money-weighted for monthly investing). "After inflation" compares each result with the amount needed to keep up with prices (inflation data to August 2026). Before taxes, fees, premiums and storage costs.
$10,000 Invested in January of Each Year: Value Today
Gold compared with S&P 500, Treasury bills and inflation, one-time investment.
Invested
Gold
S&P 500
Treasury bills
Inflation
Best
Jan 2025
$15,508+27.0%/yr
$13,503+17.8%/yr
$10,738+4.0%/yr
$10,545
Gold
Jan 2024
$19,963+27.6%/yr
$16,940+20.4%/yr
$11,284+4.4%/yr
$10,861
Gold
Jan 2023
$22,421+23.4%/yr
$21,357+21.9%/yr
$11,869+4.6%/yr
$11,197
Gold
Jan 2022
$22,994+18.8%/yr
$17,310+12.0%/yr
$12,111+4.0%/yr
$11,915
Gold
Jan 2021
$21,263+13.8%/yr
$22,755+15.1%/yr
$12,116+3.3%/yr
$12,806
S&P 500
Jan 2020
$27,151+15.7%/yr
$26,322+15.2%/yr
$12,161+2.9%/yr
$12,985
Gold
Jan 2019
$32,312+16.2%/yr
$34,859+17.3%/yr
$12,414+2.8%/yr
$13,308
S&P 500
Jan 2018
$31,507+13.9%/yr
$33,097+14.5%/yr
$12,657+2.7%/yr
$13,515
S&P 500
Jan 2017
$35,670+13.8%/yr
$40,316+15.2%/yr
$12,775+2.5%/yr
$13,794
S&P 500
Jan 2016
$38,500+13.3%/yr
$46,219+15.2%/yr
$12,816+2.3%/yr
$14,139
S&P 500
Jan 2015
$34,900+11.1%/yr
$46,161+13.8%/yr
$12,822+2.1%/yr
$14,333
S&P 500
Jan 2014
$33,789+10.0%/yr
$52,931+13.9%/yr
$12,826+2.0%/yr
$14,321
S&P 500
Jan 2013
$24,522+6.7%/yr
$67,730+14.8%/yr
$12,834+1.8%/yr
$14,547
S&P 500
Jan 2012
$25,874+6.6%/yr
$79,350+15.0%/yr
$12,845+1.7%/yr
$14,779
S&P 500
Jan 2011
$29,096+7.0%/yr
$81,358+14.2%/yr
$12,852+1.6%/yr
$15,211
S&P 500
Jan 2010
$37,033+8.1%/yr
$93,177+14.2%/yr
$12,870+1.5%/yr
$15,459
S&P 500
Jan 2009
$47,100+9.1%/yr
$116,043+14.7%/yr
$12,889+1.4%/yr
$15,865
S&P 500
Jan 2008
$48,298+8.7%/yr
$76,523+11.4%/yr
$13,067+1.4%/yr
$15,870
S&P 500
Jan 2007
$65,163+9.9%/yr
$79,658+11.0%/yr
$13,647+1.6%/yr
$16,549
S&P 500
Jan 2006
$77,994+10.4%/yr
$90,657+11.2%/yr
$14,306+1.7%/yr
$16,893
S&P 500
Jan 2005
$96,551+10.9%/yr
$97,463+11.0%/yr
$14,764+1.8%/yr
$17,566
S&P 500
Jan 2004
$97,529+10.5%/yr
$107,517+11.0%/yr
$14,967+1.8%/yr
$18,087
S&P 500
Jan 2003
$119,593+11.0%/yr
$133,496+11.5%/yr
$15,119+1.7%/yr
$18,436
S&P 500
Jan 2002
$148,409+11.5%/yr
$106,826+10.0%/yr
$15,363+1.7%/yr
$18,915
Gold
Jan 2001
$154,215+11.2%/yr
$97,414+9.2%/yr
$15,892+1.8%/yr
$19,131
Gold
Value today of $10,000 invested on the first trading day of January of each year. The "Inflation" column is what you would need today to match the buying power of $10,000 then.
How the calculator works
Gold, silver and bitcoin: daily closing prices in US dollars; today's value uses the live price.
Stocks: the S&P 500 total return index (dividends reinvested) and the BSE Sensex (price index — dividends of roughly 1–1.5% a year are not included).
Treasury bills: average 3-month US Treasury bill rate for each year, a stand-in for cash in a savings or money-market account, compounded monthly, before tax.
Inflation: the US consumer price index (CPI-U), month by month.
Monthly investing buys on the first trading day of each month at that day's close.
Not included: taxes, dealer premiums and making charges, storage, fund fees and exchange spreads. Past returns are not a guide to the future, and this is not investment advice.
How much would $10,000 invested in gold in 2016 be worth today?
Invested in January 2016, $10,000 in gold would be worth about $38,500 now (+285%, +13.3% a year), compared with $46,219 in the S&P 500 and $12,816 in Treasury bills.
How much would $10,000 invested in gold in 2021 be worth today?
Invested in January 2021, $10,000 in gold would be worth about $21,263 now (+113%, +13.8% a year), compared with $22,755 in the S&P 500 and $12,116 in Treasury bills.
How much would $10,000 invested in gold in 2006 be worth today?
Invested in January 2006, $10,000 in gold would be worth about $77,994 now (+680%, +10.4% a year), compared with $90,657 in the S&P 500 and $14,306 in Treasury bills.
Has gold beaten the stock market?
It depends on the period. From September 2000 to today, gold returned +10.9% a year in dollars, against +8.4% for the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested. Of the 25 January start dates in the table, gold is ahead of the S&P 500 today for 7 and behind for 18.
Has gold beaten inflation?
Since September 2000, gold has grown from $10,000 to $149,427, while prices rose enough that $19,285 is needed today to buy what $10,000 bought then. Of the 25 January start dates in the table, gold is ahead of inflation today for 25.
What does the calculator include and leave out?
It uses daily closing prices (the first close of each month for monthly investing) converted at that day's exchange rate. It leaves out dealer premiums, making charges, storage and insurance, taxes on gains and on interest, and fund charges. The S&P 500 figures include reinvested dividends; the Sensex figures do not. Deposit returns use average annual rates, compounded monthly, before tax.
Is this investment advice?
No. It shows what happened in the past, which says nothing reliable about the future. Gold and stocks can fall sharply, and the best and worst asset changes from one period to the next.