Gold vs Stocks: Which Actually Made You Money in the Last Decade?

Imagine you dropped $1K into gold back in 2014. Fast forward to today—that investment would’ve turned into roughly $2,360. Not bad, right? That’s a 136% gain, or about 13.6% annualized.

But here’s where it gets spicy: the S&P 500 crushed it with 174% returns over the same period (17.41% annually). Even without dividends factored in.

Why Gold Keeps Underperforming

Gold’s the ultimate “do-nothing asset.” Unlike stocks or real estate that actually generate cash flow, gold just… exists. Pretty? Sure. Productive? Nope.

Historically, it’s been all over the place. The 1970s? Absolute beast mode—40.2% annual gains. The 1980s to 2023? Yawn. Just 4.4% per year on average.

So Why Do People Buy It?

Because when everything else tanks, gold tends to pop. Economic chaos in 2020? Gold jumped 24%. Inflation spiraling in 2023? Up 13%. It’s the ultimate “zombie apocalypse insurance”—diversification that actually works when markets implode.

Cryptos watching: gold’s basically the boomer version of your “hedge.” Both claim to be stores of value. Gold took 10 years to 2.36x. Bitcoin? You probably know the answer.

The Take: Gold won’t make you rich, but it might save your portfolio when everything else catches fire. 🎯