Grading System
Mint (M) / Still Sealed (SS)
- Record: Absolutely perfect in every way. Never played, no scratches, scuffs, or imperfections. Appears brand new, often still sealed.
- Sleeve: Flawless with no signs of handling, marks, creases, or wear. Crisp and pristine, as if just manufactured. Used sparingly, as true Mint items are rare.
Near Mint (NM or M-)
- Record: Nearly perfect; likely never played or only a few times. No obvious signs of wear, scratches, or marks. Plays flawlessly without surface noise, pops, or clicks. Vinyl looks glossy.
- Sleeve: Minimal defects or slight handling marks such as barely imperceivable creases or lightly rounded corners from factory, shipping or store shelves. No sticker residue, no large creases, folds, seam splits, or writing. An LP cover or 45 sleeve shows no noticeable flaws; inserts (e.g., posters, lyric sheets) are equally pristine.
Very Good Plus Plus (VG++)
- Record: A strong, above-average copy that falls just short of Near Mint. May have a couple of very light surface scuffs or hairlines visible under strong light, but they do not affect play. Retains much of its original gloss. Playback is clean and dynamic with only the faintest, occasional surface noise noticeable during quiet passages. No skips, warps, or groove wear.
- Sleeve: Very well preserved with only subtle signs of handling. May show a touch of edge wear, slight ring wear, or a minor corner crease, but nothing distracting. Colors remain vibrant, and the sleeve is structurally firm with no seam splits. Overall, closer to Near Mint than VG+.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Record: Shows signs of use but still plays excellently with minimal surface noise. Minor scuffs or hairlines possible, but no deep scratches or groove wear. No skips or repeats.
- Sleeve: Light wear, including minor ring wear, small edge scuffs, faint corner creases, or slight fading. No major defects like splits or tears; remains structurally sound and visually appealing. Minor writing or sticker residue may be present but not extensive.
Very Good (VG)
- Record: Definite signs of play but playable through without skipping. Noticeable surface noise, light scratches, and some groove wear. Audio quality is good but not pristine; may have occasional pops or crackles.
- Sleeve: More evident wear than VG+, such as moderate ring wear, seam splits (under 1-2 inches), small tears, fading, or writing/stickers. Still protects the record adequately and displays artwork reasonably well, but shows age.
Good Plus (G+)
- Record: Heavily played but playable without skipping. Significant surface noise, visible scratches, and groove wear. Audio has constant crackles or pops but music is audible.
- Sleeve: Obvious wear with larger seam splits (2-4 inches), creases, discoloration, or moderate tears. May have tape repairs or residue; inner sleeves could be split or crinkled. Functional but not for display.
Good (G)
- Record: Well-worn and playable through, but with heavy surface noise, deep scratches, and substantial groove wear. Skips possible on some tracks; sound quality is degraded.
- Sleeve: Heavy wear including major seam splits (especially at bottom or spine), significant fading, writing, or water damage. Barely holds the record; inner sleeves are often split or written on. Worth about 10-15% of Near Mint value.
Fair (F) / Poor (P)
- Record: Severely damaged with deep scratches, cracks, bad warping, or gouges. Unplayable or skips/repeats constantly; suitable only for parts or display.
- Sleeve: Heavily damaged with large tears, stains, missing sections, or structural failure. May have water damage, peeling laminate, or heavy tape marks. Serves only as a basic holder; not display-worthy. Generally worth 0-5% of Near Mint value.