Gold vs Cotton Since 1960
In September 2026 one ounce of gold bought 2,057 kg of cotton (monthly averages: gold $4,319 an ounce, cotton $2.1 per kg). That is very high by historical standards: higher than in 98% of months since 1960, against an average of 389. The record is 3,080 in February 2026; the low 48.6 in December 1967.
Kg of cotton per ounce of gold
Jan 1960–Sep 2026 · monthlyBy Decade
Average kg of cotton per ounce of gold in each decade.
| Decade | Average | vs today |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 55.3 | +3,620% |
| 1970s | 96.1 | +2,040% |
| 1980s | 263 | +683% |
| 1990s | 224 | +820% |
| 2000s | 397 | +419% |
| 2010s | 700 | +194% |
| 2020s to date | 1,279 | +61% |
Last 12 Months
World Bank monthly average prices and the ratio.
| Month | Gold | Cotton | Gold buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 4,319 | 2.10 | 2,057 |
| Aug 2026 | 4,411 | 2.11 | 2,091 |
| Jul 2026 | 4,073 | 1.96 | 2,078 |
| Jun 2026 | 4,228 | 1.90 | 2,225 |
| May 2026 | 4,587 | 2.03 | 2,260 |
| Apr 2026 | 4,721 | 1.90 | 2,485 |
| Mar 2026 | 4,856 | 1.70 | 2,856 |
| Feb 2026 | 5,020 | 1.63 | 3,080 |
| Jan 2026 | 4,753 | 1.64 | 2,898 |
| Dec 2025 | 4,309 | 1.63 | 2,644 |
| Nov 2025 | 4,087 | 1.66 | 2,462 |
| Oct 2025 | 4,058 | 1.68 | 2,415 |
Year by year since 1960 (yearly averages)
| Year | Gold buys (average) |
|---|---|
| 2026 (9 months) | 2,448 |
| 2025 | 2,020 |
| 2024 | 1,264 |
| 2023 | 929 |
| 2022 | 643 |
| 2021 | 819 |
| 2020 | 1,123 |
| 2019 | 817 |
| 2018 | 631 |
| 2017 | 684 |
| 2016 | 766 |
| 2015 | 748 |
| 2014 | 700 |
| 2013 | 709 |
| 2012 | 855 |
| 2011 | 526 |
| 2010 | 560 |
| 2009 | 706 |
| 2008 | 560 |
| 2007 | 500 |
| 2006 | 477 |
| 2005 | 366 |
| 2004 | 309 |
| 2003 | 261 |
| 2002 | 306 |
| 2001 | 264 |
| 2000 | 216 |
| 1999 | 241 |
| 1998 | 205 |
| 1997 | 189 |
| 1996 | 219 |
| 1995 | 182 |
| 1994 | 219 |
| 1993 | 282 |
| 1992 | 270 |
| 1991 | 218 |
| 1990 | 212 |
| 1989 | 231 |
| 1988 | 313 |
| 1987 | 272 |
| 1986 | 355 |
| 1985 | 246 |
| 1984 | 203 |
| 1983 | 230 |
| 1982 | 236 |
| 1981 | 246 |
| 1980 | 295 |
| 1979 | 179 |
| 1978 | 120 |
| 1977 | 92.4 |
| 1976 | 72.6 |
| 1975 | 134 |
| 1974 | 114 |
| 1973 | 73.5 |
| 1972 | 71.2 |
| 1971 | 52.2 |
| 1970 | 53.0 |
| 1969 | 65.3 |
| 1968 | 57.2 |
| 1967 | 51.8 |
| 1966 | 56.2 |
| 1965 | 55.0 |
| 1964 | 53.8 |
| 1963 | 54.3 |
| 1962 | 53.9 |
| 1961 | 52.1 |
| 1960 | 53.4 |
Gold vs Cotton: FAQ
How much cotton does an ounce of gold buy?
In September 2026 one ounce of gold bought 2,057 kg of cotton, using World Bank monthly average prices. A year earlier it bought 2,133, ten years earlier 772.
What is the long-run average?
Since January 1960 the average is 389 kg of cotton per ounce of gold and the median 246. The latest figure is higher than in 98% of months.
When did gold buy the most cotton?
In February 2026, at 3,080 kg of cotton. The least was 48.6 in December 1967.
Does a high ratio mean gold is overvalued?
Not necessarily. The ratio shows the price of gold relative to cotton, and both prices have their own supply and demand. Over the decades the ratio has swung above and below its average, but there is no fixed level it must return to, and extremes can last for years.
Gold against other commodities
Source: World Bank Commodity Price Data (The Pink Sheet), monthly average prices in US dollars (file updated October 02, 2026), licensed CC BY 4.0. Ratios, averages, percentiles and decade figures are Corgano's calculations from those monthly averages. Gold was fixed at $35 an ounce until 1968–1971, so changes before then reflect the other commodity's price.
Cite this page
For essays, articles and research. Prices on this page update daily, so the citations include today's date as the date you accessed it.
@misc{corgano2026goldvscottonsince, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Gold vs Cotton Since 1960}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/gold-vs-commodities/cotton}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-26}}