And there have been long (10y) stretches where it's remained flat: it takes a lot of patience to HODL through something like that. Even if equities (e.g., holding an index fund) are flat at least you get some yield.
With a pure commodity play like gold (or BTC) your only way of returns in price appreciation.
In nominal terms perhaps, but in inflation adjust terms it's roughly what it hit in 1980:
* https://www.investopedia.com/gold-price-history-highs-and-lo...
https://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/11/07/CMD_GLDNFLT0711_VF...
And there have been long (10y) stretches where it's remained flat: it takes a lot of patience to HODL through something like that. Even if equities (e.g., holding an index fund) are flat at least you get some yield.
With a pure commodity play like gold (or BTC) your only way of returns in price appreciation.