485BPOS

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 11, 2012

1933 Act File No. 002-97596
1940 Act File No. 811-04297

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x

Pre-Effective Amendment No. ___ o

Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 x

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x

Amendment No. 114 x

VAN ECK FUNDS

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

335 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (212) 293-2000

Joseph J. McBrien, Esq.
Van Eck Associates Corporation
335 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:
Philip H. Newman, Esq.
Goodwin Procter LLP
Exchange Place
53 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:

As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

x immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
o 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
o 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

o This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this post-effective amendment to the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York on the 11^th day of July, 2012.

VAN ECK FUNDS

By:	/s/ Jan F. van Eck
Name:		Jan F. van Eck
Title:		Chief Executive Officer and President

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this post-effective amendment no. 113 to the registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated.

/s/ Jan F. van Eck	Chief Executive Officer and President	July 11, 2012
Jan F. van Eck
/s/ John J. Crimmins	Vice President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer	July 11, 2012
John J. Crimmins
/s/ Jane DiRenzo Pigott*	Trustee	July 11, 2012
Jane DiRenzo Pigott*
/s/ Jon Lukomnik*	Trustee	July 11, 2012
Jon Lukomnik*
/s/ Wayne H. Shaner*	Trustee	July 11, 2012
Wayne H. Shaner*
/s/ R. Alastair Short*	Trustee	July 11, 2012
R. Alastair Short*
/s/ Richard D. Stamberger*	Trustee	July 11, 2012
Richard D. Stamberger*
/s/ Robert L. Stelzl*	Trustee	July 11, 2012
Robert L. Stelzl*

*BY:	/s/ JOSEPH J. MCBRIEN
	Joseph J. McBrien
	Attorney-in-Fact
	July 11, 2012

2

EXHIBITS INDEX

EX-101.INS	XBRL Instance Document
EX-101.SCH	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
EX-101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
EX-101.LAB	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
EX-101.PRE	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

3

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jul. 01, 2012

XML

Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund

Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund seeks total return, consisting of income and capital appreciation.

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for Class A sales charge discounts if you and your family (includes spouse and children under age 21) invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000, in the aggregate, in Classes A and C of the Van Eck Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the “Shareholder Information” section of the Fund’s prospectus and in the “Availability of Discounts” and “Breakpoint Linkage Rules for Discounts” sections of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund	Class A		Class C	Class I	Class Y
Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%		none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)	none	[1]	1.00%	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Operating Expenses Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund		Class A	Class C	Class I	Class Y
Management Fees		0.80%	0.80%	0.80%	0.80%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	none	none
Other Expenses	[1]	0.86%	0.99%	1.52%	0.85%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.91%	2.79%	2.32%	1.65%
Fees/Expenses Waived or Reimbursed	[2]	(0.66%)	(0.84%)	(1.37%)	(0.65%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		1.25%	1.95%	0.95%	1.00%

Expense Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem all of your shares at the end of these periods or continue to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual expenses may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Sold

Expense Example Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years
Class A	695	1,080
Class C	298	786
Class I	97	593
Class Y	102	457

Held

Expense Example No Redemption Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years
Class A	695	1,080
Class C	198	786
Class I	97	593
Class Y	102	457

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in emerging market debt securities. An instrument will qualify as an emerging market debt security if it is either (i) issued by an emerging market government, quasi-government or corporate entity (regardless of the currency in which it is denominated) or (ii) denominated in the currency of an emerging market country (regardless of the location of the issuer). The Fund may also invest in non-emerging market debt securities. There is no limit on the amount the Fund may invest in one country or in securities denominated in one currency. The Fund may also invest in debt securities rated below investment grade (“junk bonds”). The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” which means that it may invest in fewer securities than a “diversified” fund.

The Fund invests in debt issued in emerging market and developed market currencies by governments and government-owned, controlled, or related entities (and their agencies and subdivisions), and by corporations. The Fund may invest in corporate bonds, debentures, notes, commercial paper, time deposits, and certificates of deposit, as well as debt obligations, which may have a call on a common stock or commodity by means of a conversion privilege or attached warrants.

The Fund may also invest in emerging market currencies. The Fund may use derivative instruments denominated in any currency, such as currency forwards, to gain or hedge exposure and may also enter into swap contracts. The notional value of a cash-settled forward currency contract or similar derivative instrument on an emerging market currency will be treated as an emerging market debt security for purposes of complying with the Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in emerging market debt securities. The Fund may, but is not required to, hedge its exposure to non-U.S. currencies. The Fund may also invest in credit-linked notes.

The Adviser has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers to qualify as emerging markets. The Adviser selects emerging market countries and currencies that the Fund will invest in based on the Adviser’s evaluation of economic fundamentals, legal structure, political developments and other specific factors the Adviser believes to be relevant. The Fund’s investment strategy normalizes countries’ economic fundamentals and compares them to the valuations of the relevant asset prices, particularly the relevant currency’s valuation, the relevant currency’s interest rate, and the relevant hard-currency security’s credit spread. The Fund may invest in instruments whose return is based on the return of an emerging market security such as a derivative instrument, rather than investing directly in emerging market securities. While the Fund may purchase securities of any maturity or duration, under normal conditions, the Adviser expects the portfolio’s average duration to range between two and ten years.

The Fund’s holdings may include issues denominated in currencies of emerging countries, investment companies (like country funds) that invest in emerging countries, and American Depositary Receipts, and similar types of investments, representing emerging markets securities.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities issued by other investment companies (each an “Underlying Fund”), including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in money market funds, but these investments are not subject to this limitation. The Fund may invest in ETFs to participate in, or gain rapid exposure to, certain market sectors, or when direct investments in certain countries are not permitted. Investment in the securities of an Underlying Fund involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in an Underlying Fund, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that Underlying Fund. As a result, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the Underlying Fund, in addition to the fees and expenses the Fund’s shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. The Adviser has agreed to waive the management fee it charges to the Fund by any amount it collects as a management fee from an Underlying Fund managed by the Adviser, as a result of an investment of the Fund’s assets in such Underlying Fund.

The Adviser may hire and terminate sub-advisers in accordance with the terms of an exemptive order obtained by the Fund and the Adviser from the SEC under which the Adviser is permitted, subject to supervision and approval of the Board of Trustees, to enter into and materially amend sub-advisory agreements without seeking shareholder approval. The Adviser will furnish shareholders of the Fund with information regarding a new sub-adviser within 90 days of the hiring of the new sub-adviser. Currently, the Adviser has not hired a sub-adviser to assist with the portfolio management of the Fund.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.

Below Investment Grade Securities. Below investment grade securities (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds”) are more speculative than higher-rated securities. These securities have a much greater risk of default and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. These securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than higher-rated securities.

Debt Securities. Debt securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security will be unable to make interest payments or repay principal when it becomes due. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a debt security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates.

Derivatives. The use of derivatives, such as currency forwards and swaps, presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying security, asset, index or reference rate. Derivative strategies often involve leverage, which may exaggerate a loss, potentially causing the Fund to lose more money than it would have lost had it invested in the underlying security. Also, a liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivative positions at times when the Fund might wish to terminate or sell such positions and over the counter instruments may be illiquid.

Emerging Markets Securities. Emerging markets securities typically present even greater exposure to the risks described under “Foreign Securities” and may be particularly sensitive to certain economic changes. Emerging markets securities are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade.

Foreign Currency Transactions. An investment transacted in a foreign currency may lose value due to fluctuations in the rate of exchange. These fluctuations can make the return on an investment go up or down, entirely apart from the quality or performance of the investment itself.

Foreign Securities. Foreign investments are subject to greater risks than U.S. domestic investments. These additional risks may include exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls; less publicly available information; more volatile or less liquid securities markets; and the possibility of arbitrary action by foreign governments, or political, economic or social instability. Foreign companies also may be subject to significantly higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies.

Investments in Other Investment Companies. The Fund’s investment in another investment company may subject the Fund indirectly to the underlying risks of the investment company. The Fund also will bear its share of the underlying investment company’s fees and expenses, which are in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses.

Market. Market risk refers to the risk that the market prices of securities that the Fund holds will rise or fall, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. In general, equity securities tend to have greater price volatility than debt securities.

Non-Diversification. A non-diversified fund’s greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund’s portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.

PERFORMANCE

The Fund is expected to commence operations on or about July 9, 2012. Accordingly, the Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance.

[1] A contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares of 1.00% for one year applies to redemptions of qualified commissionable shares purchased at or above the $1 million breakpoint level.

[1] Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

[2] Van Eck Associates Corporation (the "Adviser") has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, trading expenses, dividends on securities sold short, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 1.25% for Class A, 1.95% for Class C, 0.95% for Class I, and 1.00% for Class Y of the Fund's average daily net assets per year until May 1, 2014. During such time, the expense limitation is expected to continue until the Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such expense limitation.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Van Eck Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund seeks total return, consisting of income and capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for Class A sales charge discounts if you and your family (includes spouse and children under age 21) invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000, in the aggregate, in Classes A and C of the Van Eck Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the “Shareholder Information” section of the Fund’s prospectus and in the “Availability of Discounts” and “Breakpoint Linkage Rules for Discounts” sections of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

rr_ShareholderFeesCaption

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

2014-05-01

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance.

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Expense Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem all of your shares at the end of these periods or continue to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual expenses may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Sold

Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption

Held

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in emerging market debt securities. An instrument will qualify as an emerging market debt security if it is either (i) issued by an emerging market government, quasi-government or corporate entity (regardless of the currency in which it is denominated) or (ii) denominated in the currency of an emerging market country (regardless of the location of the issuer). The Fund may also invest in non-emerging market debt securities. There is no limit on the amount the Fund may invest in one country or in securities denominated in one currency. The Fund may also invest in debt securities rated below investment grade (“junk bonds”). The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” which means that it may invest in fewer securities than a “diversified” fund.

The Fund invests in debt issued in emerging market and developed market currencies by governments and government-owned, controlled, or related entities (and their agencies and subdivisions), and by corporations. The Fund may invest in corporate bonds, debentures, notes, commercial paper, time deposits, and certificates of deposit, as well as debt obligations, which may have a call on a common stock or commodity by means of a conversion privilege or attached warrants.

The Fund may also invest in emerging market currencies. The Fund may use derivative instruments denominated in any currency, such as currency forwards, to gain or hedge exposure and may also enter into swap contracts. The notional value of a cash-settled forward currency contract or similar derivative instrument on an emerging market currency will be treated as an emerging market debt security for purposes of complying with the Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in emerging market debt securities. The Fund may, but is not required to, hedge its exposure to non-U.S. currencies. The Fund may also invest in credit-linked notes.

The Adviser has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers to qualify as emerging markets. The Adviser selects emerging market countries and currencies that the Fund will invest in based on the Adviser’s evaluation of economic fundamentals, legal structure, political developments and other specific factors the Adviser believes to be relevant. The Fund’s investment strategy normalizes countries’ economic fundamentals and compares them to the valuations of the relevant asset prices, particularly the relevant currency’s valuation, the relevant currency’s interest rate, and the relevant hard-currency security’s credit spread. The Fund may invest in instruments whose return is based on the return of an emerging market security such as a derivative instrument, rather than investing directly in emerging market securities. While the Fund may purchase securities of any maturity or duration, under normal conditions, the Adviser expects the portfolio’s average duration to range between two and ten years.

The Fund’s holdings may include issues denominated in currencies of emerging countries, investment companies (like country funds) that invest in emerging countries, and American Depositary Receipts, and similar types of investments, representing emerging markets securities.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities issued by other investment companies (each an “Underlying Fund”), including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in money market funds, but these investments are not subject to this limitation. The Fund may invest in ETFs to participate in, or gain rapid exposure to, certain market sectors, or when direct investments in certain countries are not permitted. Investment in the securities of an Underlying Fund involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in an Underlying Fund, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that Underlying Fund. As a result, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the Underlying Fund, in addition to the fees and expenses the Fund’s shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. The Adviser has agreed to waive the management fee it charges to the Fund by any amount it collects as a management fee from an Underlying Fund managed by the Adviser, as a result of an investment of the Fund’s assets in such Underlying Fund.

The Adviser may hire and terminate sub-advisers in accordance with the terms of an exemptive order obtained by the Fund and the Adviser from the SEC under which the Adviser is permitted, subject to supervision and approval of the Board of Trustees, to enter into and materially amend sub-advisory agreements without seeking shareholder approval. The Adviser will furnish shareholders of the Fund with information regarding a new sub-adviser within 90 days of the hiring of the new sub-adviser. Currently, the Adviser has not hired a sub-adviser to assist with the portfolio management of the Fund.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

PRINCIPAL RISKS

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.

Below Investment Grade Securities. Below investment grade securities (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds”) are more speculative than higher-rated securities. These securities have a much greater risk of default and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. These securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than higher-rated securities.

Debt Securities. Debt securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security will be unable to make interest payments or repay principal when it becomes due. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a debt security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates.

Derivatives. The use of derivatives, such as currency forwards and swaps, presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying security, asset, index or reference rate. Derivative strategies often involve leverage, which may exaggerate a loss, potentially causing the Fund to lose more money than it would have lost had it invested in the underlying security. Also, a liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivative positions at times when the Fund might wish to terminate or sell such positions and over the counter instruments may be illiquid.

Emerging Markets Securities. Emerging markets securities typically present even greater exposure to the risks described under “Foreign Securities” and may be particularly sensitive to certain economic changes. Emerging markets securities are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade.

Foreign Currency Transactions. An investment transacted in a foreign currency may lose value due to fluctuations in the rate of exchange. These fluctuations can make the return on an investment go up or down, entirely apart from the quality or performance of the investment itself.

Foreign Securities. Foreign investments are subject to greater risks than U.S. domestic investments. These additional risks may include exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls; less publicly available information; more volatile or less liquid securities markets; and the possibility of arbitrary action by foreign governments, or political, economic or social instability. Foreign companies also may be subject to significantly higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies.

Investments in Other Investment Companies. The Fund’s investment in another investment company may subject the Fund indirectly to the underlying risks of the investment company. The Fund also will bear its share of the underlying investment company’s fees and expenses, which are in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses.

Market. Market risk refers to the risk that the market prices of securities that the Fund holds will rise or fall, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. In general, equity securities tend to have greater price volatility than debt securities.

Non-Diversification. A non-diversified fund’s greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund’s portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

The Fund's share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

A non-diversified fund's greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund's portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

PERFORMANCE

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund is expected to commence operations on or about July 9, 2012. Accordingly, the Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

The Fund is expected to commence operations on or about July 9, 2012. Accordingly, the Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance.

Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

5.75%

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

none

^[1]

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.80%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.25%

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.86%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.91%

Fees/Expenses Waived or Reimbursed

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.66%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.25%

Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]

rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts

You may qualify for Class A sales charge discounts if you and your family (includes spouse and children under age 21) invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000, in the aggregate, in Classes A and C of the Van Eck Funds.

Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]

rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount

25,000

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

695

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

1,080

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

695

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

1,080

Class C

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

1.00%

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.80%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

1.00%

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.99%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

2.79%

Fees/Expenses Waived or Reimbursed

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.84%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.95%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

298

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

786

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

198

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

786

Class I

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.80%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

1.52%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

2.32%

Fees/Expenses Waived or Reimbursed

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(1.37%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.95%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

97

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

593

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

97

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

593

Class Y

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.80%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.85%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.65%

Fees/Expenses Waived or Reimbursed

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.65%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.00%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

102

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

457

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

102

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

457

[1] A contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares of 1.00% for one year applies to redemptions of qualified commissionable shares purchased at or above the $1 million breakpoint level.

[2] Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

[3] Van Eck Associates Corporation (the "Adviser") has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, trading expenses, dividends on securities sold short, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 1.25% for Class A, 1.95% for Class C, 0.95% for Class I, and 1.00% for Class Y of the Fund's average daily net assets per year until May 1, 2014. During such time, the expense limitation is expected to continue until the Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such expense limitation.

XML

Document and Entity Information	0 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2012
Risk/Return:
Document Type	485BPOS
Document Period End Date	Jul. 01, 2012
Registrant Name	VAN ECK FUNDS
Central Index Key	0000768847
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Jun. 27, 2012
Document Effective Date	Jun. 27, 2012
Prospectus Date	Jul. 01, 2012