After a particularly volatile year, gold stands as the only precious metal in positive territory, with a gain of 11.65% for 2011. The price for silver fell by 8%, while platinum and palladium prices each declined by about 20%.
During the year, the price of gold ranged from a low of $1,319 in January to a peak of $1,895 reached in September. Silver ranged from a low $26.16 reached yesterday to a peak of $48.70 in April. The price of platinum also hit its lowest level yesterday at $1,354, compared to its highest price of $1,887 in August. Palladium reached its low of $549 in October and its high of $858 in February. All prices are based on London PM Fix prices for the 2011 calendar year.
The table below shows the last available London Fix prices from 2010, today’s London AM Fix price, the change, and percentage change.
2011 Precious Metals Price Performance
| 31-Dec-10 | 30-Dec-11 | Change | Percent | |
| Gold | $1,410.25 | 1574.50 | +$164.25 | +11.65% |
| Silver | 30.63 | 28.18 | -$2.45 | -8.00% |
| Platinum | 1,731.00 | 1381.00 | -$350.00 | -20.22% |
| Palladium | 791.00 | 636.00 | -$155.00 | -19.60% |
By comparison, last year precious metals were up across the board, with gold rising 27.7%, silver up 80.28%, platinum up 18.08%, and palladium leading with a gain of 96.77%
Gold’s performance has been the remarkably consistent, now recording a gain for the eleventh consecutive year. For eight out of the eleven years, the gain has been in double digits. Since the 2000 closing price, gold has risen from $272.65 to $1,574.50 for an overall gain of 477%.
2000-2011 Gold Price Annual Performance
| Year | Closing Price | Annual Gain | Percentage Gain |
| 2000 | 272.65 | ||
| 2001 | 276.50 | 3.85 | 1.41% |
| 2002 | 342.75 | 66.25 | 23.96% |
| 2003 | 417.25 | 74.50 | 21.74% |
| 2004 | 438.00 | 20.75 | 4.97% |
| 2005 | 513.00 | 75.00 | 17.12% |
| 2006 | 635.70 | 122.70 | 23.92% |
| 2007 | 836.50 | 200.80 | 31.59% |
| 2008 | 865.00 | 28.50 | 3.41% |
| 2009 | 1104.00 | 239.00 | 27.63% |
| 2010 | 1410.25 | 306.25 | 27.74% |
| 2011 | 1574.50 | 164.25 | 11.65% |
Gold is falling and will continue to fall, if not in early 2012, then later in the year when the economy kicks into full steam. I predict gold at or below $1000/oz a year from now. You heard it here first.
You’re numbers are all “wet” (it’s dank in London):
Actual 2011 Performance:
Gold: 10.17%
Silver: (9.87%)
From Kitco 2010/2011
I think gold will fall also.
The price goes down and the mint sells
more. Platinum should be higher than gold.
How did it reverse ? Platinum is 10 times
as rare. This tells you gold is inflated.
IF the price of gold goes down I’ll buy more, as well as everyone else around the world. Gold is in a long term bull market for at least several more years to come and it isn’t going down, aside from basic corrections along the way. The only thing going down is world equities, and world currency (against gold) as governments continue to print worthless money to inflate their way out of the next great depression and they aren’t going to be successful. The only recovery is a false recovery, losing steam by the day; I can hear them printing presses running 24/7.