-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000085535-09-000014.txt : 20090824
<SEC-HEADER>0000085535-09-000014.hdr.sgml : 20090824
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090824180643
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000085535-09-000014
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20090824
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090824
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090824

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MARCUS MERRITT E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001176487

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13357
		FILM NUMBER:		091032377

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1660 WYNKOOP STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1000
		CITY:			DENVER
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80202-1132

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ROYAL GOLD INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000085535
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MINERAL ROYALTY TRADERS [6795]
		IRS NUMBER:				840835164
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1660 WYNKOOP STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1000
		CITY:			DENVER
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80202-1132
		BUSINESS PHONE:		303-573-1660

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1660 WYNKOOP STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1000
		CITY:			DENVER
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80202-1132

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ROYAL GOLD INC /DE/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ROYAL RESOURCES CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19870517

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ROYAL RESOURCES EXPLORATION INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19810716
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-08-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000085535</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ROYAL GOLD INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RGLD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001176487</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARCUS MERRITT E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1660 WYNKOOP STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DENVER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80202-1132</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-08-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>39.7</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49338</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>140655</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Judith Marcus Revocable Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 1,250 shares of restricted stock that have not yet vested.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Merritt E. Marcus, kg for</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>marcus_poa.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Karen Gross, Suzanne
Brink and Wanette Pauly, signing singly, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:
(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in
the undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or
director of Royal Gold, Inc. (the "Company"),
Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
thereunder;
(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf
of the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable
to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5,
complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto,
and timely file such form with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
exchange or similar authority;
(3) prepare, execute in the undersigned's name and on the
undersigned's behalf, and submit to the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission a Form ID, including
amendments thereto, and any other documents necessary or
appropriate to obtain codes, passwords, and passphrase
enabling the undersigned to make electronic filings with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission of
reports required by Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation of the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission; and
(4) take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of
such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best
interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it
being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant
to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and
shall contain such terms and conditions as such
attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's
discretion.
The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every
act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper
to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact,
or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this
power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the
request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the
Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities
to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934.
This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3,
4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless
earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power
of Attorney to be executed as of this 27th day of May 2009.
/s/Merritt E. Marcus
Signature
Merritt E. Marcus
Print Name

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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