What Happened to the Golden Plates After the Book of Mormon Was Translated

The ancient record used to produce the Book of Mormon had a specific, temporary purpose, and its journey concluded with its return to divine care.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 5, 2026

Branched from The Significance of the Book of Mormon's Three Witnesses

Quick take

After the Book of Mormon's translation was complete, Joseph Smith returned the Golden Plates to the angel Moroni.
This event occurred around June 1829, after the plates had been shown to the Three and Eight Witnesses.
The plates were not intended for permanent human possession or scientific study, but served as a sacred instrument for a divine purpose.
Their removal reinforced the spiritual origin of the Book of Mormon and the faith required to accept its message.

The Golden Plates, from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, were returned to the care of the angel Moroni shortly after the translation was finished. This marked the fulfillment of their sacred purpose, which was to bring forth the ancient record to the modern world.

The Plates' Purpose Fulfilled

According to Joseph Smith's account, the angel Moroni, who first revealed the plates to him, commanded him to keep them safe until the translation was complete. Once the entire text was translated and the testimonies of the designated witnesses (the Three and Eight Witnesses) were secured, the plates' mission was accomplished. Joseph Smith stated that he then returned the plates to Moroni, who took them to an undisclosed, sacred location. This occurred around June 1829, after the translation was finished but before the Book of Mormon was published in March 1830.

A Temporary and Sacred Instrument

The Golden Plates were not ordinary historical artifacts meant for long-term human preservation or public display. Their existence was miraculous, and their handling was always under divine direction. They served as a temporary means to an eternal end: the production of the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith was not a custodian of ancient relics, but a revelator, tasked with bringing forth a sacred text. The plates' removal ensured that the focus would remain on the message of the Book of Mormon itself, rather than on the physical object or any potential for secular scrutiny.

The disappearance of the Golden Plates underscores the spiritual nature of the Book of Mormon's origin. It requires faith to accept the accounts of their existence, translation, and removal, aligning with the book's own spiritual claims. This event solidifies the idea that the plates were a divine instrument, not a human discovery, and that their purpose was fulfilled in bringing forth new scripture, rather than becoming a museum piece or an object of scientific curiosity.

Witnesses to the Plates

Before their removal, 11 specific individuals, known as the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses, were permitted to see and handle the Golden Plates. Their signed testimonies are included in every copy of the Book of Mormon, providing a crucial part of the historical record of the plates' existence.

Where are the Golden Plates now?

According to Joseph Smith and the accounts, the Golden Plates were returned to the angel Moroni and are now in a sacred, undisclosed location, remaining under divine care.

Why weren't the plates kept for public display or scientific examination?

The plates were not intended as a historical artifact for human preservation or scientific study. Their primary purpose was to serve as the source material for the Book of Mormon's translation, after which their mission was complete. Their sacred nature and divine custodianship meant they were not subject to secular scrutiny.

Did anyone else see the plates after Joseph Smith?

Yes. Before their return to Moroni, the Three Witnesses (Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris) saw the plates through divine manifestation, and the Eight Witnesses (Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith) were shown the plates by Joseph Smith and were permitted to handle them. Their testimonies affirm the plates' physical reality.

Is there any physical evidence of the plates today?

No direct physical evidence of the Golden Plates exists today. The evidence for their existence and translation rests on the testimonies of Joseph Smith and the eleven witnesses, as well as the Book of Mormon itself, which is presented as the translated record.

Sources

Joseph Smith—History 1:59-60
The Testimony of Three Witnesses (in the Book of Mormon)
The Testimony of Eight Witnesses (in the Book of Mormon)