How Heavy Were the Golden Plates? Unraveling the Mystery
Author: SZTC
2025-08-02
The golden plates are a central artifact in the history of the Latter-day Saint movement, said to contain the ancient records that became the Book of Mormon. According to Joseph Smith, he discovered these plates in 1827 in upstate New York, buried in a stone box. While much has been written about their origin, content, and significance, one question continues to intrigue scholars, believers, and curious minds alike: How heavy were the golden plates? Let’s explore the clues, estimates, and debates surrounding their weight.
Before delving into their weight, it’s important to understand what the golden plates are described as. Smith claimed the plates were made of a gold-like material, bound together with three rings, and inscribed with reformed Egyptian characters. They were said to measure approximately 7 inches by 8 inches (18 cm by 20 cm) in size, with a thickness that varied depending on the source.
Accounts from those who purportedly saw the plates—including Smith’s family members, friends, and early followers—describe them as a stack of thin, metal sheets. Their physical properties, including weight, have been a topic of speculation because no physical evidence of the plates exists today; Smith said he returned them to the angel Moroni after translating their contents.
1. Joseph Smith’s Descriptions
Joseph Smith himself provided few specific details about the plates’ weight, but he did mention that they were “heavy.” In an 1838 history, he noted that he had to “carry them [the plates] home” after retrieving them from the stone box, implying that their weight was manageable but substantial. His wife, Emma Smith, recalled that the plates felt “as heavy as stone” when she handled them (though she admitted she never saw them directly, only felt them through a cloth).
2. Witness Testimonies
Several of the “Three Witnesses” and “Eight Witnesses”—individuals who claimed to have seen or handled the plates—offered vague descriptions of their weight. For example, Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses, stated that the plates were “heavy enough to make it difficult for one man to carry them.” Another witness, Hiram Page, described them as “very heavy,” but no exact numbers were given.
3. Material and Size Calculations
To estimate the weight, researchers have focused on the plates’ purported material and dimensions. If we assume the plates were made of pure gold, we can use basic physics to calculate a rough weight:
- Size: Estimates suggest the plates were about 7 inches wide, 8 inches long, and 6 inches thick when stacked (though some accounts say the stack was thinner, around 4 inches).
- Thickness of sheets: If each plate was a thin sheet—say, 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) thick—a stack of 100 plates would measure 1 inch in thickness. For a 6-inch stack, that’s 600 plates.
- Density of gold: Pure gold has a density of about 0.698 pounds per cubic inch (19.3 grams per cubic centimeter).
Using these numbers, a 7x8x6-inch stack of solid gold would weigh roughly 58 pounds (26 kg). However, this is a high-end estimate. If the plates were made of a gold alloy (less dense than pure gold) or thinner than assumed, the weight would be lower. Some scholars suggest a more realistic range of 30 to 50 pounds (14 to 23 kg).
1. Could They Have Been Made of Another Metal?
Critics of the golden plates narrative argue that such a heavy stack of gold would have been impractical for Smith to carry alone, especially over rough terrain. They propose that the plates might have been made of a lighter metal, such as brass or copper, coated in gold. A brass stack of the same size would weigh around 20 to 30 pounds (9 to 14 kg)—still heavy but more manageable.
2. Symbolism vs. Physical Reality
Some religious scholars emphasize that the “weight” of the plates may have symbolic meaning as much as physical. The heaviness could represent the significance of the records or the burden of preserving and translating them, rather than a literal measurement.
The question of how heavy the golden plates were is more than a trivial detail. For believers, it reinforces the authenticity of Smith’s account—suggesting the plates were a tangible, valuable artifact. For skeptics, the weight (or perceived implausibility of it) is used to question the story’s credibility. Either way, it highlights the intersection of history, faith, and physical evidence.
While we can never know the exact weight of the golden plates, historical accounts and calculations point to a range of 30 to 60 pounds (14 to 27 kg) if they were made of gold or a gold alloy. This aligns with descriptions of them being “heavy but portable” for a strong individual.
Ultimately, the weight of the golden plates remains part of their enduring mystery, a topic that continues to spark discussion among historians, believers, and skeptics alike. Whether viewed as a physical artifact or a symbol of religious significance, their “heaviness” endures as a key part of their story.
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