Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from sales of gold	$ 22,834,000		$ 24,815,000	$ 17,758,000
Expenses – Sponsor’s fees paid	(22,834,000)		(24,815,000)	(17,758,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	0		0	0
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash information:
Carrying value of gold received for creation of Shares	928,370,000		3,303,091,000	3,660,287,000
Carrying value of gold distributed for redemption of Shares, at average cost	(3,199,151,000)		(541,586,000)	(644,033,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash	0		0	0
Cash, beginning of period	0		0	0
Cash, end of period	0		0	0
Net income (loss)	(628,066,000)		136,332,000	258,847,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on gold distributed for the redemption of Shares	(142,694,000)		(155,431,000)	(271,906,000)
Cost of gold sold to pay expenses	21,261,000		18,552,000	12,188,000
Adjustment to gold bullion inventory (Note 2B)	750,590,665	[1]	0	0
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Sponsor’s fees payable	$ (1,092,000)		$ 547,000	$ 871,000

[1] At December 31, 2013, the market value of the gold bullion was below the average cost of the Trust's gold bullion inventory held. As a result, the Trust recorded a permanent write down against the average cost of the gold bullion inventory of $750,590,665.