Comments on: Record Grading 101

By: Susan Sliwicki

Susan Sliwicki — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:12:05 +0000

A Still-Sealed record is the record-collecting equivalent of Schrodinger’s cat. In the physics postulation, a cat placed inside a box could be either dead or alive (some interpretations say at some point, the cat is simultaneously dead AND alive), depending on a series of random events, and for which the result is unknown until the box is opened.

Once the seal is broken on the album, you probably won’t find a cat in any condition, but you may find any number of things that could decrease its value — a damaged disc, a mis-labeled record, even the wrong record packaged inside (which does happen more often than you think).

If your record is still factory sealed, leave it that way to maintain the potential value, and be sure to note that the record is in Still Sealed (SS) condition. If you suspect at all that the seal is NOT a factory seal — it is possible to re-wrap an already-opened album and pass it off as otherwise — get another opinion from a trustworthy dealer or appraiser before you open or sell it. Should you decide to sell this record and have had an appraiser or dealer assess that it is a factory-sealed record, be sure to note that the record has been inspected by an expert and determined to be in SS condition..

That said, Still Sealed doesn’t mean Mint. Inspect the record and its package for things that you can see without breaking the seal. Is the cover dinged, creased or bent? Is there any kind of fading or sun damage, etc. that you can discern? Be sure to note those imperfections, as they can weigh into the record’s overall condition and ultimate value.

Good luck!
– Susan

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:23:10 +0000

All this is good for records that have been opened or played. I might sound like everyone else when i say this but its true. My record has never been opened or played so i dont want to open it to grade it. What do i do?

By: Kyle

Kyle — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:05:04 +0000

How about someone comes up with a grading scale that actually makes sense. If a “Good” condition record is not actually “Good”, why then do we call it “Good”. This is grade school stuff here…And that’s not to mention that the grading scale is still vague/incomplete. There is no scale for anything between those grades. This is what has led people to use “VG++”…although in those cases it’s quite common to find out that they really didn’t know what they were talking about after all…which just adds to the confusion when buying.

I do think someone could make a much better grading scale, but more importantly, ask the seller detailed questions before you buy. There is no substitute for a personalized assessment of each individual record. There’s just too much middle ground and grey area, in addition to people grading from an inflated scale who already don’t know what they’re talking about.

By: Phuc.Yew

Phuc.Yew — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:45:44 +0000

Only people that don’t need to use VG++ are people that overgrade things and just call it NM-. I’ll use VG++ anyday, but NM- once in a blue moon.

By: You've Got To Be Kidding Me

You've Got To Be Kidding Me — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 02:35:15 +0000

Fire this guy, Goldmine.

Don’t use VG++

Stop already.

By: Levyjen kuntoluokitukset | Lazysod.com - Vaihtoehtomusiikin ympärille keskittynyt musiikkiblogi

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:27:33 +0000

[...] on yksi tärkeimmistä tekijöistä muodostettaessa ostopäätöstä. Yleisesti käytössä oleva Goldmine® Grading Guide määrittelee suht’ tarkasti levyjen eri kuntoluokat, jolloin ostajan on helpompi tehdä [...]

By: 8-Track-Shack Record Grading » 8-Track-Shack Blog

8-Track-Shack Record Grading » 8-Track-Shack Blog — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:50:22 +0000

[...] Record Grading 101 is taken from the 5th Edition of “The Goldmine® Record Album Price Guide” by Tim Neely 8 Track Shack does not sell the Goldmine Price Guides, but there are always a number of copies on Amazon.com. The newest edition is also available, which is the Goldmine Record Album Price Guide 6th Edition. [...]

By: John

John — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:41:15 +0000

I’m sorry, but really to keep the grading of Lp’s less of a mystery to the average (and not so average) Joe, a VG+ record should be just that. It shouldn’t be also named “Excellent”, or allowed to be denoted with a +,or ++.
If it deserves a higher or lower grade, assign it that. Too many sellers try and over grade their records, leaving the buyer frustrated especially when purchased over the Internet.

Either it is a Very Good Plus Lp, or it is flawed and down graded to a Very Good rating.