Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Notes Tables

Activity in Gold Bullion [Table Text Block]

Three Months Ended September 30, 2018	Ounces			Cost			Fair Value			Realized Gain (Loss)
Beginning balance		8,637,702		$	10,806,316,895		$	10,801,014,832		$	—
Gold bullion contributed		269,920			326,017,394			326,017,394			—
Gold bullion distributed		(298,773	)		(373,766,620	)		(369,770,728	)		(3,995,892	)
Gold bullion sold to pay expenses		(5,523	)		(6,907,415	)		(6,734,887	)		(172,528	)
Net realized loss		—			—			(4,168,420	)		—
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation		—			—			(532,059,056	)		—
Ending balance		8,603,326		$	10,751,660,254		$	10,214,299,135		$	(4,168,420	)

Three Months Ended September 30, 2017	Ounces			Cost			Fair Value			Realized Gain (Loss)
Beginning balance		6,762,892		$	8,277,677,317		$	8,401,202,679		$	—
Gold bullion contributed		829,112			1,067,933,923			1,067,933,923			—
Gold bullion distributed		(239,388	)		(293,375,991	)		(307,829,659	)		14,453,668
Gold bullion sold to pay expenses		(4,221	)		(5,172,020	)		(5,376,124	)		204,104
Net realized gain		—			—			14,657,772			—
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation		—			—			258,137,498			—
Ending balance		7,348,395		$	9,047,063,229		$	9,428,726,089		$	14,657,772

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018	Ounces			Cost			Fair Value			Realized Gain (Loss)
Beginning balance		7,828,465		$	9,663,574,842		$	10,149,604,427		$	—
Gold bullion contributed		1,889,512			2,482,260,820			2,482,260,820			—
Gold bullion distributed		(1,098,473	)		(1,374,005,462	)		(1,400,676,047	)		26,670,585
Gold bullion sold to pay expenses		(16,178	)		(20,169,946	)		(20,752,224	)		582,278
Net realized gain		—			—			27,252,863			—
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation		—			—			(1,023,390,704	)		—
Ending balance		8,603,326		$	10,751,660,254		$	10,214,299,135		$	27,252,863

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017	Ounces			Cost			Fair Value			Realized Gain (Loss)
Beginning balance		6,308,062		$	7,706,923,343		$	7,311,674,849		$	—
Gold bullion contributed		1,634,973			2,067,477,206			2,067,477,206			—
Gold bullion distributed		(582,465	)		(712,447,813	)		(731,446,104	)		18,998,291
Gold bullion sold to pay expenses		(12,175	)		(14,889,507	)		(15,136,183	)		246,676
Net realized gain		—			—			19,244,967			—
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation		—			—			776,911,354			—
Ending balance		7,348,395		$	9,047,063,229		$	9,428,726,089		$	19,244,967