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Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)
 3 Months Ended 10 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 14 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Jul. 16, 2015
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
t
shares
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2014
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Schedule Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]                          
Fair value of assets and liabilities, amount transferred between levels                   $ 0 $ 0    
Maximum number of business days within which ownership of the gold is transferred                   3 days      
Minimum denomination of shares issued redeemed against gold | shares                   100,000      
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold $ 17,078,000 $ 2,356,357,000 $ 3,824,259,000 $ (1,119,195,000) $ (1,330,874,000) $ (347,521,000) $ (455,804,000) $ (440,989,000)   $ 5,078,499,000 (2,575,188,000) [1] $ 0  
Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses 3,597,000 790,000 (953,000) (2,820,000) (2,691,000) (765,000) (815,000) (899,000)   614,000 (5,170,000) [1] 0 [2]  
Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares 322,516,000 31,440,000 1,927,000 (362,484,000) (214,791,000) (65,606,000) (59,785,000) (106,862,000)   (6,601,000) (447,044,000) [1] 0 [2]  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investment in gold (309,035,000) $ 2,324,127,000 $ 3,823,285,000 $ (753,891,000) (1,113,392,000) $ (281,150,000) $ (395,204,000) $ (333,228,000)   5,084,486,000 (2,122,974,000) [1] (477,254,000) [2]  
Total gain/(loss) on gold                   0 0 [1] (96,630,000)  
Gain on gold sold to pay expenses                   0 0 [1] 6,302,000  
Gain on gold distributed for the redemption of shares                   0 0 [1] $ 374,322,000  
Liability for uncertain tax positions - current $ 0       $ 0         $ 0 $ 0   $ 0
Sponsor [Member]                          
Schedule Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]                          
Related party fees payable at annual rate                 0.15%       0.40%
Bank of England [Member]                          
Schedule Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]                          
Gold held by subcustodian | t                   29      
Percentage of gold held by subcustodian                   3.80%      
[1] Effective October 1, 2014, the Trust adopted the financial presentation provisions for an investment company. See note 2.2 to our audited financial statements.
[2] Represents audited statement of changes in shareholders' equity/(deficit) for the year ended September 30, 2014.