Sorry to mix up the OI number with the net short number earlier, but if you go to the Hamilton essay i linked to earlier you will find the numbers you are looking for. Here is that paragraph:
"In late 2005, commercial net shorts surged to their 5th major record of this bull. Yet right then gold had just launched a powerful rally that would take it from around $475 to $700. Similarly in late 2007 commercial net shorts surged to another record, pushing what was then an unbelievable 250k contracts. Yet gold still managed to rally strongly from around $825 to $1000 right out of that commercial net-short record."