2.0.0.10 false Condensed Statements of Operations (Unaudited) (USD $) 0120 - Statement - Condensed Statements of Operations (Unaudited) true false In Thousands, except Per Share data false false 1 usd $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 usd $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 3 usd $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 4 usd $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 3 REVENUES 1 us-gaap_RevenuesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false No definition available. false 4 Proceeds from sales of gold 2 gld_ProceedsFromSalesOfGold gld false credit duration monetary Proceeds derived from the sale of gold as necessary to pay the Trust's expenses. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 true true false false 37685000 37685 false false false 2 true true false false 23869000 23869 false false false 3 true true false false 74973000 74973 false false false 4 true true false false 42721000 42721 false false false Proceeds derived from the sale of gold as necessary to pay the Trust's expenses. No authoritative reference available. false 5 Cost of gold sold to pay expenses 2 gld_CostOfGoldSoldToPayExpenses gld false debit duration monetary Cost of sales of gold as necessary to pay the Trust's expenses. false false false false false false false false false false true negatedtotal false 1 false true false false -27664000 -27664 false false false 2 false true false false -20102000 -20102 false false false 3 false true false false -55012000 -55012 false false false 4 false true false false -37708000 -37708 false false false Cost of sales of gold as necessary to pay the Trust's expenses. No authoritative reference available. true 6 Gain on gold sold to pay expenses 2 us-gaap_GrossProfit us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 10021000 10021 false false false 2 false true false false 3767000 3767 false false false 3 false true false false 19961000 19961 false false false 4 false true false false 5013000 5013 false false false Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Gain on gold distributed for the redemption of Shares 2 gld_GainOnGoldDistributedForRedemptionOfShares gld false credit duration monetary Realized gain or loss on gold distributed for the redemption of shares. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 315102000 315102 false false false 2 false true false false 1508000 1508 false false false 3 false true false false 560554000 560554 false false false 4 false true false false 76621000 76621 false false false Realized gain or loss on gold distributed for the redemption of shares. No authoritative reference available. true 8 Total Gain on gold 2 gld_TotalGainOnGold gld false credit duration monetary Total realized gain or loss on the sale and distribution of gold. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 325123000 325123 false false false 2 false true false false 5275000 5275 false false false 3 false true false false 580515000 580515 false false false 4 false true false false 81634000 81634 false false false Total realized gain or loss on the sale and distribution of gold. No authoritative reference available. true 9 EXPENSES 1 us-gaap_OperatingExpensesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false No definition available. false 10 Custody fees 2 us-gaap_CustodyFees us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 false true false false 6452000 6452 false false false 2 false true false false 4494000 4494 false false false 3 false true false false 12996000 12996 false false false 4 false true false false 7839000 7839 false false false Those fees charged for services related to holding, advising, and managing customer investment assets. These account fees usually charged annually or semi-annually, on a per security basis, for the costs of services. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Trustee fees 2 us-gaap_TrusteeFees us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 false true false false 493000 493 false false false 2 false true false false 493000 493 false false false 3 false true false false 997000 997 false false false 4 false true false false 997000 997 false false false Fees charged annually for the professional services of a trustee, usually quoted as a percentage of the funds being managed. An offshore trust must have a Trustee who will administer the assets in the trust for the Beneficiaries. The fee for appointing an offshore Trustee is included in the trust price. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Sponsor fees 2 us-gaap_SponsorFees us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 false true false false 14606000 14606 false false false 2 false true false false 10112000 10112 false false false 3 false true false false 29439000 29439 false false false 4 false true false false 17045000 17045 false false false Fees paid to advisors who provide certain management support and administrative oversight services including the organization and sale of stock, investment funds, limited partnerships and mutual funds. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Marketing agent fees 2 us-gaap_MarketingExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 false true false false 14606000 14606 false false false 2 false true false false 10112000 10112 false false false 3 false true false false 29439000 29439 false false false 4 false true false false 17045000 17045 false false false Expenditures for planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services. Costs of public relations and corporate promotions are typically considered to be marketing costs. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Other expenses 2 us-gaap_OtherExpenses us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 2959000 2959 false false false 2 false true false false 2071000 2071 false false false 3 false true false false 5983000 5983 false false false 4 false true false false 3911000 3911 false false false This element represents a sum total of expenses not separately reflected on the income statement for the period. No authoritative reference available. true 15 Total expenses 2 us-gaap_OperatingExpenses us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 39116000 39116 false false false 2 false true false false 27282000 27282 false false false 3 false true false false 78854000 78854 false false false 4 false true false false 46837000 46837 false false false Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense. No authoritative reference available. true 16 Net Gain/(Loss) from Operations 1 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 true true false false 286007000 286007 false false false 2 true true false false -22007000 -22007 false false false 3 true true false false 501661000 501661 false false false 4 true true false false 34797000 34797 false false false The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph A1, A4, A5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph b Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 29 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 38 -Subparagraph a Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 38 -Subparagraph c(1) true 17 Net Gain/(Loss) per Share 1 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel true 1 true true false false 0.78 0.78 false false false 2 true true false false -0.07 -0.07 false false false 3 true true false false 1.37 1.37 false false false 4 true true false false 0.13 0.13 false false false The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 21 -Article 9 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 36, 37, 38 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 18 -Article 7 true 18 Weighted average number of Shares (000's) 1 us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic us-gaap true na duration shares No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 365749000 365749 false false false 2 false true false false 309078000 309078 false false false 3 false true false false 365863000 365863 false false false 4 false true false false 278009000 278009 false false false Number of [basic] shares, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares and other shares not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares have been outstanding to the total time in that period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 171 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph a Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 8 true false 4 16 false Thousands Thousands Hundreds false true