Metals Investment Calculator - Returns & Backtest
Metals Investment Calculator
Backtest a long term metals plan with monthly historical prices. Choose a metal, set start and end year, add recurring contributions, and view yearly growth.
Metals investment growth over time
Results summary
2000 ➜ 2026
Yearly metals investment breakdown
| Year | Contributions | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $2,200 | $15.48 | $2,215.48 |
| 2001 | $1,200 | -$28.08 | $3,387.40 |
| 2002 | $1,200 | $421.86 | $5,009.26 |
| 2003 | $1,200 | $1,004.38 | $7,213.64 |
| 2004 | $1,200 | -$535.23 | $7,878.41 |
| 2005 | $1,200 | $1,614.44 | $10,692.85 |
| 2006 | $1,200 | $471.98 | $12,364.83 |
| 2007 | $1,200 | $3,566.16 | $17,130.99 |
| 2008 | $1,200 | $477.80 | $18,808.79 |
| 2009 | $1,200 | $4,361.44 | $24,370.23 |
| 2010 | $1,200 | $4,319.95 | $29,890.18 |
| 2011 | $1,200 | $4,255.84 | $35,346.02 |
| 2012 | $1,200 | -$148.98 | $36,397.04 |
| 2013 | $1,200 | -$7,829.51 | $29,767.53 |
| 2014 | $1,200 | -$2,220.71 | $28,746.82 |
| 2015 | $1,200 | $1,214.49 | $31,161.31 |
| 2016 | $1,200 | $1,787.84 | $34,149.15 |
| 2017 | $1,200 | $1,741.18 | $37,090.33 |
| 2018 | $1,200 | $1,460.41 | $39,750.74 |
| 2019 | $1,200 | $6,135.90 | $47,086.64 |
| 2020 | $1,200 | $4,836.10 | $53,122.74 |
| 2021 | $1,200 | -$115.19 | $54,207.55 |
| 2022 | $1,200 | $2,965.91 | $58,373.46 |
| 2023 | $1,200 | $1,299.35 | $60,872.81 |
| 2024 | $1,200 | $10,615.06 | $72,687.87 |
| 2025 | $1,200 | $39,330.34 | $113,218.21 |
| 2026 | $1,200 | $14,279.85 | $128,698.06 |
About this metals investment calculator
This metals investment calculator helps you backtest recurring investing in gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, and aluminum with historical monthly data. It is designed for people comparing precious metals exposure, industrial metals exposure, and long term contribution strategies in one clear workflow.
How the model works
For each selected market we convert month to month price moves into monthly returns and apply those returns to your portfolio value with monthly compounding. Contributions are normalized to a monthly amount so daily, weekly, quarterly, and yearly plans can be compared on the same timeline. If your projection extends beyond the last available month, your assumed annual return is converted into an effective monthly rate and used for the remaining period.
Important assumptions
What this metals calculator helps you answer
People usually search for a gold investment calculator, silver investment calculator, or a metals backtest calculator when they want to test what could have happened with recurring investments. This page combines those use cases in one tool so you can compare multiple metals with the same assumptions.
Supported metals and symbols
This version supports Gold (GC=F), Silver (SI=F), Copper (HG=F), Platinum (PL=F), Palladium (PA=F), and Aluminum (ALI=F). Each symbol has its own historical range, so the earliest available start year depends on the selected market.
Precious metals versus industrial metals
Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are often grouped as precious metals, while copper and aluminum are usually treated as industrial metals. Comparing both groups can help you understand how different demand drivers may affect long term outcomes.
Data source and update method
Historical monthly price data is sourced from Yahoo Finance futures series and stored in a generated dataset for this calculator. The model then uses monthly closes to build a consistent long term backtest view.
How the monthly metals backtest works
- Month to month price changes become monthly returns
- Recurring contributions are converted into an equivalent monthly flow
- Portfolio value compounds each month across the selected period
- Results are aggregated into yearly contributions growth and ending balance
Projection beyond the last available data year
If your end year is later than the last available historical month, the calculator switches to your assumed annual return. This lets you test conservative, base case, and optimistic scenarios after real market history ends.
How to read the output
- Stacked chart: separates starting amount, total contributions, and market driven growth
- Yearly table: shows how contributions and growth evolved each year
- Summary: reports final value, total contributions, and total growth for the selected period
Example scenarios to test
- Compare gold versus silver over the same start and end years
- Compare copper versus aluminum for an industrial metals view
- Use the same monthly contribution across all metals to compare sensitivity
- Extend beyond history with 0 percent, 3 percent, or 6 percent assumptions
Important limits and assumptions
- The model uses futures based monthly series, not physical spot bars or coins
- Taxes, storage costs, broker spreads, and management fees are not included
- Contract roll mechanics and term structure effects are not modeled separately
- Results are scenario estimates, not forecasts or investment advice
Supporting calculators
- Compare metals and crypto with the same contribution plan: use the Crypto Investment Calculator to benchmark volatility and long-term outcomes with the same timing and inputs.
- Allocation control after market moves: use the Portfolio Rebalancing Calculator to see how metals exposure can drift from target weights and what actions would rebalance it.
- Translate nominal growth into real purchasing power: use the Inflation Calculator to see what your projected end value means after inflation.
Learn more
- Data sources and monthly update process: read the Calculator Data Guide to understand how metals series are sourced, refreshed, and used in calculations.
Glossary and common questions about metals investing
It is a planning tool that estimates how a metals position could have grown over time with recurring contributions and compounding based on historical monthly price data.
Gold, Silver, Copper, Platinum, Palladium, and Aluminum are supported through Yahoo Finance futures symbols GC=F, SI=F, HG=F, PL=F, PA=F, and ALI=F.
The tool uses generated monthly series built from Yahoo Finance futures history and then applies those monthly values in the backtest model.
Each metal has a different historical data range, so the earliest valid start year depends on the selected symbol.
It converts month to month price moves into monthly returns, adds your normalized monthly contribution flow, and compounds those returns through the selected period.
After the last historical month, the tool applies your annual assumption converted into a monthly rate so projections can continue beyond available data.
This calculator uses futures based monthly series. Futures behavior can differ from physical spot holdings because of roll and term structure effects.
Yes. Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium represent precious metals while copper and aluminum represent industrial metals.
Yes. Use the same start year, end year, contribution amount, and frequency for each metal to compare long term sensitivity across markets.
No. Taxes, custody, storage, broker fees, and spreads are excluded, so actual investor outcomes may differ from modeled results.
Large yearly moves reflect historical volatility in the selected metal. Short windows can look noisy, so longer windows are usually better for planning context.
No. It is a historical scenario model. It helps compare assumptions and plans, but it does not predict future market performance.