Where Are the Golden Plates That Joseph Smith Found? A Century-Old Mystery Unfolded

Author: SZTC

2025-12-22

For those delving into the origins of the Book of Mormon or the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), a pivotal question demands attention: Where are the golden plates that Joseph Smith found? These revered artifacts, which Smith claimed to have discovered and translated into the Book of Mormon, have sparked curiosity, debate, and devotion for nearly two centuries. To unravel the mystery of their whereabouts, we must first retrace the story of the golden plates as Smith recounted it—from their discovery in upstate New York to their puzzling disappearance.

where are the golden plates that joseph smith found

The Golden Plates That Joseph Smith Found: Discovery and Translation Journey

The tale of the golden plates that Joseph Smith found begins in the early 1820s in upstate New York. According to Smith’s own account, on September 21, 1823, he was visited by the angel Moroni, who revealed the location of a set of golden plates: buried in a stone box atop Cumorah Hill (now known as Mormon Hill), approximately four miles south of Palmyra, New York. Moroni informed Smith that he was not yet spiritually prepared to take the plates and instructed him to return to the same spot annually on the same date until he was ready to receive them.

Smith’s Preparation and Acquisition of the Plates

After four years of annual visits and spiritual preparation, Smith was finally permitted to retrieve the golden plates on September 22, 1827. The plates were described as thin, gold-colored sheets, engraved with ancient characters—later identified as “reformed Egyptian” by Smith. Along with the plates, he claimed to receive the Urim and Thummim, a pair of seer stones that allowed him to translate the inscriptions into English.

Translation of the Plates Smith Found and Early Witnesses

Fearing persecution for his claims about the golden plates he had found, Joseph Smith moved to Harmony, Pennsylvania, with his wife Emma to begin the translation in seclusion. Martin Harris, a close friend of the Smith family, soon became interested in the plates. Harris obtained a handwritten copy of some of the inscribed characters (later named the Anthon Transcript) and traveled to New York City to have them examined by scholars, including Professor Charles Anthon of Columbia University. While the details of Anthon’s evaluation remain a subject of debate, Harris returned convinced of the authenticity of the plates Smith had found.

Joseph Smith also identified 11 official witnesses who claimed to have seen or handled the golden plates he found: three “Book of Mormon Witnesses” (Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer) and eight “Eight Witnesses” (mostly Smith’s family members). Their testimonies, published in early editions of the Book of Mormon, explicitly affirmed the existence of the plates Smith discovered—but none of these witnesses could clarify what happened to the plates after Smith completed their translation.

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The Disappearance: What Happened to the Golden Plates Joseph Smith Found?

Unlike many ancient artifacts that are preserved in museums or archives, the golden plates that Joseph Smith found vanished from the historical record shortly after the completion of the Book of Mormon’s translation in 1830. According to Smith’s account, the plates were not kept or hidden by humans—instead, he claimed to have returned them to the angel Moroni once their purpose (translation into English) was fulfilled.

Joseph Smith’s Account of Returning the Plates He Found

Joseph Smith maintained that the golden plates he found were a sacred, heavenly entrusted item, not a secular artifact to be displayed or hoarded. He stated that he was commanded to return the plates to Moroni after the translation was complete, as they were never intended to be permanently in human possession. This explanation aligns with the initial instructions Moroni gave Smith regarding the plates: that they were to be guarded carefully and returned once the translation work was done.

Criticisms and Alternative Theories About Smith’s Found Plates

Critics of Joseph Smith’s account have proposed alternative explanations for the disappearance of the plates he claimed to find. Some argue that the plates never existed at all—that Smith fabricated the story of finding them to lend credibility to the Book of Mormon. Others suggest that the plates were a hoax crafted by Smith (possibly using gold-colored metal or tin) and that they were destroyed or hidden once the hoax was at risk of being exposed. However, these theories lack concrete evidence, and the testimonies of the 11 witnesses (many of whom stood by their claims about the plates Smith found until their deaths) have kept the debate ongoing.

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Why the Question “Where Are the Golden Plates That Joseph Smith Found?” Persists

The mystery of the whereabouts of the golden plates that Joseph Smith found endures not only because of their connection to the Book of Mormon but also due to their broader significance in discussions about faith, history, and evidence. For LDS believers, the return of the plates Smith found to heaven is a testament to their sacred nature—a reminder that some spiritual truths transcend physical objects. For skeptics and historians, the question of where the plates are remains a way to examine the origins of the Book of Mormon and the reliability of Smith’s claims about finding the plates.

Archaeological Parallels: Clues for Smith’s Found Golden Plates?

While the golden plates that Joseph Smith found have never been recovered, archaeological discoveries have shown that writing on metal plates was a common practice in ancient civilizations—strengthening the plausibility of Smith’s description of the plates he claimed to find. For example, gold plates inscribed with Etruscan and Phoenician inscriptions were discovered in Pyrgi, Italy, dating back to around 500 B.C. Similarly, the Padilla gold plates, found in a tomb in Guerrero, Mexico, in the 1950s, have been studied for their potential links to ancient Mesoamerican writing traditions. These discoveries do not prove the existence of the golden plates Smith found, but they do refute early criticisms that the idea of writing on gold plates (as Smith described) was “absurd” or historically impossible.

Smith’s Found Plates: A Symbol of Faith vs. Evidence

Ultimately, the question “Where are the golden plates that Joseph Smith found?” boils down to a fundamental tension between faith and empirical evidence. For those who believe in the Book of Mormon, the absence of the plates Smith found is irrelevant—their faith is rooted in the spiritual message of the text and the testimonies of those who claimed to see the plates. For others, the lack of physical evidence for the plates Smith said he found makes his story hard to accept. Regardless of one’s perspective, the mystery of the golden plates that Joseph Smith found continues to fascinate, inviting new generations to explore the history and beliefs surrounding these elusive artifacts.

So, where are the golden plates that Joseph Smith found? According to Smith’s own account, they are in the care of the angel Moroni—beyond the reach of human hands. Until new evidence emerges (a possibility that seems unlikely after nearly 200 years), the question will remain less about locating a physical object and more about understanding the role that the golden plates Smith claimed to find have played in shaping faith, debate, and history.

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