Golden Plates

The Golden Plates is the name most frequently used to refer to the "gold plates" that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received from the angel Moroni and used as the ancient source for the English translation of The Book of Mormon. In reference to the plates, the Book of Mormon was commonly known as the "Golden Bible" during the 1830s. Smith later became the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Physical description

Smith said Moroni used the term "gold plates" rather than "golden plates." Smith's brother William believed that the plates were "a mixture of gold and copper." Other witnesses said the plates had the "appearance of gold" and were sheets of metal about 6 inches wide by 8 inches high and somewhat thinner than common tin. The plates were said to be bound together with three rings, and made a book about 6 inches thick. Reports from Smith and others who lifted the plates (while wrapped in cloth or contained within a box) agree that they weighed about 60 pounds.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In his famous letter to Chicago Democrat publisher John Wentworth (http://www.lds4u.com/History/Wentworth.htm), Smith wrote:

Related Topics:
Letter - John Wentworth

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:"These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin… The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed." These plates are typically referred to as the "gold plates" or other similar phrases.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

William Smith (Joseph's brother) wrote in an 1883 account:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

: "I was permitted to lift them as they laid in a pillow-case; but not to see them, as it was contrary to the commands he had received. They weighed about sixty pounds according to the best of my judgment."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~