2.2.0.7 false Investment in Gold (Details) 0603 - Disclosure - Investment in Gold (Details) true false false false 1 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 2 XAU false false XAU Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 XAU iso4217 0 false 3 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 4 XAU false false XAU Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 XAU iso4217 0 4 Ounces of Gold 2 gld_OuncesOfGoldAbstract gld false na duration Ounces of Gold. false false false false false true false false false false false verboselabel 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 xbrli:stringItemType string Ounces of Gold. false 5 Opening Balance 3 us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalanceOtherMeasure us-gaap true na instant No definition available. false false false false false false false false true false false periodstartlabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false 35176600 35176600 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 23268200 23268200 false false false xbrli:decimalItemType decimal Quantity of the investment. Indicate the measure in the unit of measure. This is commonly used for investments other than securities. For example, if the investment is gold, the balance would be the number of ounces and the unit of measure would indicate "ounces". Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 13 -Paragraph 2 -Article 12 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 13 -Paragraph Column B -Article 12 false 6 Creations (excluding gold receivable at June 30, 2010 - 136.9, and at September 30, 2009 - 39.2) 3 gld_CreationsOuncesOfGold gld false na duration Ounces of gold that have been transferred into the Trust's account in respect of Creations. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false 9281000 9281000 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 16607200 16607200 false false false xbrli:decimalItemType decimal Ounces of gold that have been transferred into the Trust's account in respect of Creations. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Redemptions 3 gld_RedemptionsOuncesOfGold gld false na duration Ounces of gold that have been transferred out of the Trust's account in respect of Redemptions. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false -2038100 -2038100 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false -4578900 -4578900 false false false xbrli:decimalItemType decimal Ounces of gold that have been transferred out of the Trust's account in respect of Redemptions. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Sales of gold 3 gld_SalesOfGold gld false na duration Sales of gold. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false -103100 -103100 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false -119900 -119900 false false false xbrli:decimalItemType decimal Sales of gold. No authoritative reference available. true 9 Closing Balance 3 us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalanceOtherMeasure us-gaap true na instant No definition available. false false false false false false false false false true false periodendlabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false 42316400 42316400 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 35176600 35176600 false false false xbrli:decimalItemType decimal Quantity of the investment. Indicate the measure in the unit of measure. This is commonly used for investments other than securities. For example, if the investment is gold, the balance would be the number of ounces and the unit of measure would indicate "ounces". Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 13 -Paragraph 2 -Article 12 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 13 -Paragraph Column B -Article 12 false 10 Investment in Gold (lower of cost or market): 2 gld_InvestmentInGoldLowerOfCostOrMarketAbstract gld false na duration Investment in Gold (lower of cost or market). false false false false false true false false false false false verboselabel 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 xbrli:stringItemType string Investment in Gold (lower of cost or market). false 11 Opening Balance 3 gld_InvestmentInGold gld false debit instant Investment in Gold at lower of cost or market. false false false false false false false false true false false periodstartlabel false 1 true true false false 28463669000 28463669000 [1],[2] false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 true true false false 16878554000 16878554000 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Investment in Gold at lower of cost or market. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Creations (excluding gold receivable at June 30, 2010 - $170,337, and at September 30, 2009 - $39,068) 3 gld_CreationsValueOfGold gld false debit duration Value of Gold that has been transferred into the Trust's account in respect of Creations false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 10858827000 10858827000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false true false false 15266663000 15266663000 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Value of Gold that has been transferred into the Trust's account in respect of Creations No authoritative reference available. false 13 Redemptions 3 gld_RedemptionsValueOfGold gld false credit duration Value of Gold that has been transferred out of the Trust's account in respect of Redemptions false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false -1685934000 -1685934000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false true false false -3588054000 -3588054000 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Value of Gold that has been transferred out of the Trust's account in respect of Redemptions No authoritative reference available. false 14 Sales of gold 3 gld_CostOfGoldSoldToPayExpenses gld false debit duration Cost of sales of gold as necessary to pay the Trust's expenses. false false false false false false false false false false true negated false 1 false true false false -85906000 -85906000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false true false false -93494000 -93494000 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Cost of sales of gold as necessary to pay the Trust's expenses. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Closing Balance 3 gld_InvestmentInGold gld false debit instant Investment in Gold at lower of cost or market. false false false false false false false false false true false periodendlabel false 1 false true false false 37550656000 37550656000 [2] false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false true false false 28463669000 28463669000 [1],[2] false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Investment in Gold at lower of cost or market. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Investment in Gold (Textual) 1 gld_InvestmentInGoldTextualAbstract gld false na duration Investment in Gold. false false false false false true false false false false false verboselabel 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 xbrli:stringItemType string Investment in Gold. false 17 Gold receivable ounces of gold 2 gld_GoldReceivableOuncesOfGold gld false na instant Ounces of gold receivable by the Trust. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false 136900 136900 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 39200 39200 false false false xbrli:pureItemType pure Ounces of gold receivable by the Trust. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Gold receivable 2 us-gaap_ReceivablesNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false terselabel false 1 true true false false 170337467 170337467 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 true true false false 39068311 39068311 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary The total amount due to the entity within one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) from outside sources, including trade accounts receivable, notes and loans receivable, as well as any other types of receivables, net of allowances established for the purpose of reducing such receivables to an amount that approximates their net realizable value. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 4 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 false 1 Derived from audited statement of condition as of September 30, 2009. 2 The market value of Investment in Gold at June 30, 2010 is $ 52,641,595 and at September 30, 2009, is $35,027,132. 4 15 false NoRounding UnKnown UnKnown false true