Moonstone Charm

The original Nauvoo Temple moonstones, carved from limestone in 1844–1845 under Joseph Smith’s direction. The moonstones served as the massive architectural plinths (bases) for the thirty exterior pilasters, featuring a downward-facing crescent moon with a sculpted face in profile to represent the 'moon under her feet' from Revelation 12. After the Nauvoo Temple’s destruction by arson in 1848 and a tornado in 1850, only a few original moonstones survived, with one displayed at the Nauvoo State Park and others preserved in museum collections. This paperweight honors that craftsmanship and the enduring legacy of early Latter-day Saint architecture.