# Gold vs Stocks: The 10-Year Showdown Nobody Expected

Here's a reality check: $1,000 in gold 10 years ago? You'd have ~$2,360 today. Solid, right? Not really.

Gold price went from $1,158.86/oz to $2,744.67/oz—that's a 136% gain, roughly 13.6% annual returns. Sounds decent until you compare it to the S&P 500, which crushed it with 174% gains (17.41% annually). And the stock index didn't even include dividends.

Here's the kicker: gold's way more volatile than people think. The 1970s? Gold was on steroids—40.2% annual returns. Then the 1980s-2020s? Average of just 4.4% per year. It literally tanked throughout the 1990s.

**Why do people still buy gold then?**

Because it does one thing stocks can't: it survives chaos. When markets implode, gold usually pops. 2020 saw it jump 24.43%. 2023's inflation panic? +13.08%. It's not about making money—it's insurance.

The 2025 forecast? Analysts expect another ~10% push, potentially hitting $3,000/oz. But here's the hard truth: gold doesn't generate cash flow. It just sits there. Stocks, real estate, bonds—they actually *do* something. Gold? It's the apocalypse hedge.

**Bottom line:** Gold isn't a wealth builder—it's a portfolio shield. Mix it in, don't bet on it.