The market price of an ounce of gold is most commonly expressed in the "spot price" of gold. The spot price of gold is the price of a troy ounce of gold. The spot price is the price a buyer should expect to pay for an ounce of gold for immediate delivery. It should be noted that individual buyers cannot generally obtain gold at the spot price. This is because gold is available to buyers in various forms, such as coins and bars, which require fabrication and transport. The added cost of fabrication and transport, plus mark ups for dealer profits result in a price greater than the spot price.

The spot price of gold is available to individuals in a wide variety of media. It has been quoted in newspapers, from The Wall Street Journal to your local business section, each day for decades. It is reported on various business television news networks, such as Bloomberg, CNBC and Fox Business Channel. The spot price is also reported occasionally on radio news programs.