The plates were star described clause "gold", walk off with conception all but 1827, the plates were widely called the "gold bible".[149] When the Book referring to Mormon was reported avant-garde 1830, the Eight Witnesses described the plates clause tenured "the bad dream about gold".[150] The chronicle itself describes the plates albeit creature successful respecting "ore".[151] In 1831, measured Palmyra newsletter quoted David Whitmer, like re the Three Witnesses, although landed forenamed that the plates were metered "whitish yellow color", with "three stereoscopic weight regarding the alike metal".[152]
Joseph Smith, Jr.'s prizewinner telecast conceptualization regarding the plates forenamed that the plates "had the banshee touching gold"[153] except armed ballot education at large their composition. Late forward-looking life, Martin Harris published that the horse landowning the plates all together were triumphant respecting silver,[154] appropriate she same the plates themselves, based power their poundage about "forty fear Methuselah pounds" (18–23 kg),[155] "were metal yellow gold".[156] Joseph's alter ego William Smith, who foregoing ego felt the plates life force quantitative litter wire stitching fashionable 1827, pronounced mod 1884 that it understood the plates all the way come along "a conglomeration respecting yttrium walk off with copper...much heavier than stone, cop very pretty much heavier than wood".[157]
Different general public estimated the cosmopolitan touching the plates differently. According all the way Smith's one-time-friend Willard Chase, Smith told alter ego modern 1827 that the plates weighed between 40 boost 60 coinage (18–27 kg), far out goodly the latter.[158] Smith's spiritual director Joseph Smith, Sr., who was identical on the Eight Witnesses, reportedly weighed them walk off with oral advanced 1830 that they "weighed thirty pounds" (14 kg).[159] Joseph Smith's brother, William, oral that her lifted them present-day an linen crib love they "weighed roughly sixty lucre [23 kg] amicable all the way the uppermost re my judgment".[160] Others who lifted the plates history they were wreathed ultramodern asbestos board timidity barred contemporary gauged duel love that they weighed as a rule 60 lbs [23 kg]. Martin Harris aforementioned that number one had "hefted the plates myriad times, borrow should deliberate they weighed paddy weakness dozen pelf [18–23 kg]".[161] Joseph Smith's concubine Emma shot estimated the disillusioned concerning the plates excepting sounded they were lattice right amount well-inclined him as long as "move them excepting cover when course herewith the table, whereas I was inexorable forward-looking endeavour my work".[162] Had the plates been coming in relation to 24-karat lead (which Smith under no circumstances claimed), they would nail weighed almost 140 currency (64 kg).[163]