2.2.0.7 false Unaudited Condensed Statements of Operations (USD $) 0120 - Statement - Unaudited Condensed Statements of Operations true false In Thousands, except Per Share data false false 1 USD false false 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 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 2 USD false false 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 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 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 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 4 USD false false 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 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ 3 REVENUES 1 us-gaap_RevenuesAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. 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 No definition available. false 4 Proceeds from sales of gold 2 gld_ProceedsFromSalesOfGold gld false credit duration 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 42780000 42780 false false false 2 true true false false 32173000 32173 false false false 3 true true false false 117753000 117753 false false false 4 true true false false 74894000 74894 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 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 -30894000 -30894 false false false 2 false true false false -27786000 -27786 false false false 3 false true false false -85906000 -85906 false false false 4 false true false false -65494000 -65494 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 11886000 11886 false false false 2 false true false false 4387000 4387 false false false 3 false true false false 31847000 31847 false false false 4 false true false false 9400000 9400 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 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 53934000 53934 false false false 2 false true false false 116608000 116608 false false false 3 false true false false 614488000 614488 false false false 4 false true false false 193228000 193228 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 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 65820000 65820 false false false 2 false true false false 120995000 120995 false false false 3 false true false false 646335000 646335 false false false 4 false true false false 202628000 202628 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. 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 No definition available. false 10 Custody fees 2 us-gaap_CustodyFees us-gaap true debit duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 7612000 7612 false false false 2 false true false false 5448000 5448 false false false 3 false true false false 20608000 20608 false false false 4 false true false false 13287000 13287 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 499000 499 false false false 2 false true false false 499000 499 false false false 3 false true false false 1496000 1496 false false false 4 false true false false 1496000 1496 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 17461000 17461 false false false 2 false true false false 12278000 12278 false false false 3 false true false false 46900000 46900 false false false 4 false true false false 29323000 29323 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 17461000 17461 false false false 2 false true false false 12278000 12278 false false false 3 false true false false 46900000 46900 false false false 4 false true false false 29323000 29323 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 3622000 3622 false false false 2 false true false false 2551000 2551 false false false 3 false true false false 9605000 9605 false false false 4 false true false false 6462000 6462 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 46655000 46655 false false false 2 false true false false 33054000 33054 false false false 3 false true false false 125509000 125509 false false false 4 false true false false 79891000 79891 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 from Operations 1 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 true true false false 19165000 19165 false false false 2 true true false false 87941000 87941 false false false 3 true true false false 520826000 520826 false false false 4 true true false false 122737000 122737 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary 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 per Share 1 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel true 1 true true false false 0.05 0.05 false false false 2 true true false false 0.24 0.24 false false false 3 true true false false 1.38 1.38 false false false 4 true true false false 0.4 0.4 false false false us-types:perShareItemType decimal 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 No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 400502000 400502 false false false 2 false true false false 366115000 366115 false false false 3 false true false false 377409000 377409 false false false 4 false true false false 307378000 307378 false false false xbrli:sharesItemType shares 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 4 16 false Thousands Thousands NoRounding false true