The 2008 financial crisis had a worldwide rippling effect. The S&P 500 fell 38.5%, millions of homes went into foreclosure and U.S. households lost nearly $17 trillion in total wealth.
No matter where you were at the time — but especially if you were affected by economic decline — you might not have seen that period as a time to invest.
But what if you had? What if you’d purchased gold in 2008? Here’s what it’d be worth today, and whether it’s still a good investment in current times.
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Gold Prices Have Risen Since 2008
At the start of 2008, gold was priced at around $924 per ounce. Over the next four years, it rose to $1,788 per ounce.
Like any investment, gold has had its share of fluctuation. Back in December 2015 — just shy of a decade ago — it fell to $1,060 per ounce. That’s only slightly higher than its 2008 price.
But as it tends to do, gold bounced back shortly thereafter. Aside from a few small dips, it’s seen an overall upward trajectory. As of July 2025, it’s valued at approximately $3,359 per ounce.
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What Your Investment Would Be Worth Today
If you’d purchased a single ounce of gold during the 2008 financial crisis, you’d have spent around $924 and it’d be worth around $3,359 today. That’s a 264% increase in value over the past 17 years.
But what if you’d invested more aggressively and bought, say, 10 one-ounce bars for $9,240? Using that same percentage increase, you’d have around $33,590 today.
Is Gold Still Worth the Investment?
You might have missed out on investing in gold when it was priced at under $1,000 an ounce. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad investment now. You could use it to safeguard your other assets and build more diversity into your portfolio, especially during times of economic uncertainty and stock market volatility.
It’s just going to cost more than it did in 2008.
“Gold has been in an incredible bull-market cycle now for the past 25 years,” said Robert Kientz, head of operations at Kinesis Bullion. “Gold has exceeded the returns of the major stock market indices since 2000. And while gold has been on such an incredible hot streak, it does not show signs of slowing down.”
Of course, there’s no guarantee that it will continue to rise in value at such an exponential rate. But Kientz said that gold may well have a solid future as an investment for the next five to 10 years.
Not only do central banks still actively purchase it — they bought 244 tons in Q1 2025 — but gold prices tend to rise during times of economic uncertainty. If you’re considering diversifying your portfolio, gold might be worth the investment. Just make sure it aligns with your overall strategy and goals.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: If You Had Bought Gold During the 2008 Financial Crisis, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today
