Organization	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Organization [Abstract]
Organization	1. Organization The ETFS Precious Metals Basket Trust (the “Trust”) is an investment trust formed on October 18, 2010, under New York law pursuant to a depositary trust agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) executed by ETF Securities USA LLC (the “Sponsor”) and the Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”) at the time of the Trust’s organization. The Trust holds gold, silver, platinum and palladium in set ratios (together, “Bullion”) and issues Shares (“Shares”) (in minimum blocks of 50,000 Shares, referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for deposits of Bullion and distributes Bullion in connection with the redemption of Baskets. Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust which are issued by the Trust. The Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of ETF Securities Limited, a Jersey, Channel Islands based company. The Trust is governed by the Trust Agreement. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold, silver, platinum and palladium, less the Trust’s expenses and liabilities. The Trust is designed to provide an individual owner of beneficial interests in the Shares (a “Shareholder”) an opportunity to participate in the gold, silver, platinum and palladium market through an investment in securities. The fiscal year end for the Trust is December 31.

1. Organization

The ETFS Precious Metals Basket Trust (the “Trust”) is an investment trust formed on October 18, 2010, under New York law pursuant to a depositary trust agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) executed by ETF Securities USA LLC (the “Sponsor”) and the Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”) at the time of the Trust’s organization. The Trust holds gold, silver, platinum and palladium in set ratios (together, “Bullion”) and issues Shares (“Shares”) (in minimum blocks of 50,000 Shares, referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for deposits of Bullion and distributes Bullion in connection with the redemption of Baskets. Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust which are issued by the Trust. The Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of ETF Securities Limited, a Jersey, Channel Islands based company. The Trust is governed by the Trust Agreement.

The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold, silver, platinum and palladium, less the Trust’s expenses and liabilities. The Trust is designed to provide an individual owner of beneficial interests in the Shares (a “Shareholder”) an opportunity to participate in the gold, silver, platinum and palladium market through an investment in securities. The fiscal year end for the Trust is December 31.