Gold price in 1979: open, high, low, close
Gold averaged $306.75 an ounce in 1979, moving between $227.00 and $455.00. Month-by-month figures, the year's change and the inflation-adjusted value, from public data.
Gold price in 1979, month by month (US dollars per troy ounce)
| Month | Open | High | Low | Close | London avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | monthly average | $227.00 | |||
| February | monthly average | $246.00 | |||
| March | monthly average | $242.00 | |||
| April | monthly average | $239.00 | |||
| May | monthly average | $258.00 | |||
| June | monthly average | $279.00 | |||
| July | monthly average | $295.00 | |||
| August | monthly average | $301.00 | |||
| September | monthly average | $355.00 | |||
| October | monthly average | $392.00 | |||
| November | monthly average | $392.00 | |||
| December | monthly average | $455.00 | |||
Daily data for this year is not in our public sources, so each month shows the average London (LBMA) price from the World Bank Pink Sheet. Intraday highs and lows were more extreme than these averages.
Source: World Bank Commodity Markets (Pink Sheet) monthly London gold prices; COMEX gold futures (GC=F) daily settlements; US CPI (FRED series CPIAUCSL). Data updated ; refreshed automatically about once a day. Figures are indicative and may be revised by the sources.
Gold in 1979: the numbers
In 1979, gold averaged $306.75 an ounce, measured by monthly averages of the London (LBMA) price. It opened the year at $227.00, reached a high of $455.00 in December 1979 and a low of $227.00 in January 1979, and closed at $455.00, a change of +118.8% from the end of 1978. 8 of the 11 month-to-month changes were higher. Adjusted for inflation, the closing price equals about $1,990 in September 2026 dollars.
For context, gold closed 1978 at $208.00 and 1980 at $538.00 (+18.2% in 1980).
How this compares with the whole record
The gold price history page charts every year since 1968 and lists the open, high, low and close of each, and the all-time-high tracker shows every record close. Figures for 1979 use monthly averages of the London (LBMA) price; the London price and COMEX futures differ slightly, usually by a few dollars.
Frequently asked questions
What was the gold price in 1979?
Gold averaged $306.75 per troy ounce in 1979, measured by monthly averages of the London (LBMA) price. It opened the year at $227.00 and closed at $455.00.
What was the highest gold price in 1979?
The highest monthly average in 1979 was $455.00, in December 1979. Intraday and daily highs that year were higher than the monthly average.
What was the lowest gold price in 1979?
The lowest monthly average in 1979 was $227.00, in January 1979.
Did gold go up or down in 1979?
Gold up +118.8% in 1979, from $208.00 at the end of 1978 to $455.00. Adjusted for inflation, that closing price is about $1,990 in September 2026 dollars.
Educational information only, not financial advice and not a forecast. Past prices do not predict future prices. See our risk disclaimer and editorial policy.