Note 3 - Trust Expenses (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Note 3 - Trust Expenses (Details) [Line Items]
Sponsors Fee Annualized Accrual Rate Based On Daily Net Asset Value	0.25%
Maximum [Member]
Note 3 - Trust Expenses (Details) [Line Items]
Legal Fees Per Year	100,000

Annualized sponsor's fee rate accrued daily based on the net asset value of the trust.

No definition available.

Name:	iau_SponsorsFeeAnnualizedAccrualRateBasedOnDailyNetAssetValue
Namespace Prefix:	iau_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration