If you bought gold at the top of the market, you won't break even until $850 as I recall.
But if the person who bought gold at $850 in 1980 and somehow managed to sell it at breakeven today would have sustained a loss because gold hasn't even kept up with inflation.
That $850 oz. of gold would have to sell for about $2200 today in order to recover the real value of the original $850.
Thank you. I'm amazed it took 13 posts to make that point.