In Mormon's record of the final years of the Nephite nation, there is no mention of his turning any of the records over to Moroni prior to the year 385 (385 years after the sign of Christ's birth). [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Mormon 6:6] [See the illustration for Omni 1:25--Nephite Record Keepers]
“I Mormon, Being About to Deliver Up the Record”
The first-time reader of the Book of Mormon will note that Mormon's introductory statement concerning himself in Words of Mormon 1:1 is their first acquaintance with him (other than the Title Page). Yet he writes as if he should already be known. This is because the Words of Mormon represents a literary bridge between the record referred to as the "small" plates of Nephi and Mormon's abridgment of the large plates of Nephi. The translation manuscript of the first part of Mormon's abridgment was lost by Martin Harris (see the commentary on Words of Mormon 1:7 for a more complete account of this loss). Rather than retranslate, Joseph Smith was commanded by the Lord to substitute the translation of a record Jacob referred to as the "small" plates (Jacob 1:1). Mormon had been inspired to include this "small account" with his abridgment (W of M 1:3-6). [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]