Gold vs Stocks: The 10-Year Showdown

So someone threw $1k into gold a decade ago. What's it worth now? About $2,360. That's a solid 136% gain—13.6% per year on average.

Sounds great until you realize the S&P 500 crushed it with 174% returns over the same period. Stocks win round one.

But here's the thing: gold doesn't need to beat stocks. It's playing a completely different game. Gold is your "when everything goes sideways" insurance. No revenue stream, no cash flow—just a shiny metal that's held value for 5,000 years.

The real magic? When markets tank, gold usually pumps. In 2020, it jumped 24% while everyone was panicking. In 2023's inflation chaos, it rose 13%. That's diversification doing its job.

Bottom line: Gold isn't trying to make you rich. It's trying to keep you from getting rekt when the financial system hiccups. Different tool, different purpose. Boring? Maybe. Effective? Ask any investor who held some in 2008.