You know the one. That solid, dark navy blue softcover with the gold lettering. Maybe you saw it in a Marriott hotel drawer or a missionary handed you one on a street corner. For millions of people, that specific book of mormon book cover is the only one they’ve ever known. It feels permanent. Like it was always that way.
But honestly? That blue cover is just one chapter in a wild, 200-year design history.
If you go back to the beginning, the very first 1830 edition didn't look "religious" at all by modern standards. It looked like a law book. It was bound in brown calfskin with a black title patch on the spine. No gold statues. No pictures of ancient prophets. Just a plain, rugged leather brick designed to survive the saddlebags of 19th-century frontier travel.
The Brown Leather Beginnings
The first 5,000 copies were printed in Palmyra, New York, by E.B. Grandin. These books are basically the "holy grail" for collectors now. If you find an original 1830 copy with its original brown leather book of mormon book cover intact, you’re looking at something that can fetch anywhere from $44,000 to over $180,000 at auction.
It’s tactile. It’s heavy. It smells like old paper and history.
By 1837, they moved to a second edition in Kirtland, Ohio. This one was smaller. Why? Missionaries needed something that could fit in a pocket. The aesthetic was still "utility first." You didn't see "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" on the cover back then; that subtitle wasn't actually added until 1982. For over 150 years, the title was just three words.
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When Art Met the Cover
Things got visual in the mid-20th century. This is where the book of mormon book cover started to feel more like a piece of media and less like a document.
In the 1960s—specifically around the time of the World’s Fair—the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints introduced a paperback edition. This was a massive shift. It featured a blue cover with a gold silhouette of the Angel Moroni. But the real game-changer was what was inside and sometimes featured on special dust jackets: the art of Arnold Friberg.
Friberg’s paintings are iconic. You’ve seen them—muscular, cinematic heroes like Captain Moroni or Nephi with biceps that would make a bodybuilder jealous. These illustrations defined the "look" of the book for a whole generation.
The Gold Foil Era
In the late 1970s (around 1976-1979), a very specific edition started circulating that collectors still hunt for today. It features a gold-embossed cover with what looks like "Reformed Egyptian" characters. It’s shiny. It’s bold. It looks like it belongs in an Indiana Jones movie.
People call it the "Gold Cover" edition. While it's not made of actual gold, the foil stamping makes it stand out on any bookshelf. It represents a moment where the design leaned into the "ancient record" origins of the text.
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The 1981 Standard and the Navy Blue "Uniform"
The navy blue cover we see everywhere today really took root with the 1981 edition. This was a big deal because it was part of a massive project to cross-reference all the church’s scriptures.
The design became standardized:
- Color: Deep navy blue.
- Text: Gold foil lettering.
- Symbolism: Often features a small Angel Moroni, though many recent "distribution" copies have moved toward a text-only front.
In 2013, they did another minor update. The font changed slightly, and the cover became a bit more durable. But the "brand" stayed the same. The goal was global recognition. Whether you are in Tokyo, Lagos, or Salt Lake City, you recognize that blue rectangle.
Why Some People Hate the "Official" Look
Not everyone wants a book that looks like a manual. Recently, there has been a massive surge in "custom" book of mormon book cover designs.
Artists like Minerva Teichert, who painted in a more mural-like, expressive style, have seen their work used on special edition covers. There’s a community of "re-binders" too. These are people who take the standard pages and bind them in high-end goatskin leather, often with floral patterns or minimalist modern designs.
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They want the book to feel personal. They want it to look like a piece of art on their coffee table rather than a textbook.
Real Examples of Rare Covers
If you're looking to start a collection or just want to see the variety, keep an eye out for these:
- The Deseret Alphabet Edition (1869): This one is weird. The text isn't in English; it's in a phonetic alphabet created by early settlers. The cover is usually black cloth with the Salt Lake Temple gold-stamped on the spine.
- The "Red Leather" 1888 Edition: A beautiful, deep red leather version that feels very Victorian.
- The 1920 Edition: The first time they used the double-column layout we use today. The covers are often dark, heavy cloth.
What to Look for Today
If you are buying a copy and the book of mormon book cover matters to you, think about the "vibe" you want.
- For Study: The standard 2013 blue softcover is the most practical. It’s light and has wide margins.
- For Gifting: Many people look for the "Hardcover Journal" editions. These often have beautiful, wrap-around artwork—landscapes, forests, or abstract gold lines.
- For History: Look for the Grandin replicas. They look exactly like the 1830 original, calfskin and all, but they won't cost you a mortgage.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to dive deeper into the world of scripture design, here is how you start:
- Check your local thrift stores: You’d be surprised how many "Gold Character" editions from the 70s show up in places like Deseret Industries for a few dollars.
- Visit the Book of Mormon Art Catalog: This is a digital archive that shows how different artists have interpreted the book's themes. It’s the best way to see the "visual history" beyond just the blue cover.
- Compare the 1830 vs. 1981: Look at photos of the title pages. The 1830 version lists Joseph Smith as "Author and Proprietor," while modern versions say "Translated by." The cover change reflects this shift in how the book is presented to the world.
The cover isn't just a wrapper. It’s a reflection of the era it was printed in—from the rugged leather of the 1830s to the mass-produced blue of the 2000s. Whether you like the "law book" look or the "golden plates" aesthetic, each one tells a different part of the story.
Check the copyright page of your own copy. You might find that your book of mormon book cover belongs to a specific print run that has its own unique history you never noticed before.
How to Identify Your Edition
- Check the spine: Is there an Angel Moroni? That usually points to a post-1960s edition.
- Look at the subtitle: If it says "Another Testament of Jesus Christ," your book was printed after 1982.
- Feel the texture: If it's a "soft-glaze" or matte finish, it's likely a post-2013 printing.
Understanding these small details turns a simple book into a historical artifact. You aren't just holding a religious text; you're holding two centuries of evolving graphic design.