Asset classes don’t usually post gains in each and every calendar year in a given decade, but sometimes the exception is the rule. That was certainly the case for gold. As a new report from the World Gold Council reminds, everyone’s favorite precious metal had a very good decade through the close of 2010.

Gold’s price, the Council notes, “rose for the tenth consecutive year driven by a recovery in key sectors of demand and continued global economic uncertainty. Not only was gold’s performance strong, but its volatility remained low, providing a foundation for a well diversified portfolio.”