What Is the Bell Made Of?
The Liberty Bell is bronze: about 70% copper and 25% tin, with small amounts of lead, gold, arsenic, silver and zinc, according to the NPS. It weighed 2,080 pounds at order. It hangs from its original yoke of American elm (Wikipedia).
MetalBronze
CopperAbout 70%
TinAbout 25%
TracesLead, gold, arsenic, silver, zinc
Weight at order2,080 pounds
YokeAmerican elm
The first bell was cast at the Whitechapel Foundry in London and cracked on first use. John Pass and John Stow melted it down and cast a new bell in Philadelphia, completed in 1753; the page on who made it tells that part. The crack page covers what happened to the metal by the 1840s, and the inscription page reads the raised lettering cast into the bronze.
Frequently asked questions
What metal is the Liberty Bell made of?
Bronze, about 70% copper and 25% tin, with small amounts of lead, gold, arsenic, silver and zinc (NPS).
How much does the Liberty Bell weigh?
The NPS says it “weighed 2,080 lbs. at order”.
Is there gold in the Liberty Bell?
A small amount, alongside lead, arsenic, silver and zinc, according to the NPS. The history page covers how the bell was made.