A SS Record - Roseanne Cash

Nothing gives better quality music than a GOOD Vinyl Record! Records are really the first media available that gave the everyone the ability to purchase a collection of music to keep and enjoy forever. In todays world records are a highly sought after collectibles and GOOD quality ones can be hard to come by. At stores on line and at brick and mortar ones, the dealer should have the record graded.  There is two basic grading systems, Goldmine which is considered the industry's standard and Osborne's, which is a more basic numbered system. What you need to be aware of is just because the grade states 'NM' or '9' that is the dealers view of it and it may not be what you personally would call a near mint piece. 

If you are shopping at a brick and mortar shop, it is easy to find out if the grade is up to par.  You are standing there with it in your hand, so if you don't actually look at it, then it's your bad.  But on line it is more difficult. And to make matters worse, far too many dealers are coming up with their own 'system' of grading.  They may use a 'NM' or a '9', but it means something alittle more or less than the actual Goldmine or Osborne's set standard. So, what can you do? How about some easy steps here.

Buying on line
1. READ!  Read the dealers description.  Did they visually grade? Play grade? Do they note any flaws? did they grade the cover? Are they using Goldmine standard? Osborne's? their own made up version?  If so, how close is their 'VG+' to Goldmine's 'VG+'?  Still not sure? Move on to:
2. LOOK!  Look at the pictures.  NO the camera will not pickup on vinyl flaws, but it they grade the cover separate and have a picture of the cover, it will give you a good idea of how they grade.  Say they state the cover is 'NM' or '9'.  You look at the picture and you spot a tear, an obvious ring wear etc, and they claim it to be 'NM'.  Or you look at the photo and it is clearly a 'stock' picture, or worse, no picture at all.  Now to be fair, some sites like Amazon, etc it can be tough to get a picture up, or to find the dealers own picture.  In that case, try:
3. CONTACT! Send them an email! ask questions, ask for pictures etc.  They should be happy to help you feel comfortable about buying from them.  If not, do you really want to give them your hard earned cash on a 'trust me'?

As far as I am concerned, especially on sites like eBay, Bonanzle, etc, if the dealer does not want to take the time to post at least one picture of actual record for sale, and does not want to describe it in alittle detail, just wanting to tell me the 'do's and don'ts' of buying from them, or how they have their own special 'system' of grading, they are not worthy of my money.

Now for those of you who are just getting started in the wonderful world of vinyl here are the two grading systems used.  Personally, I use the Goldmine Standard, and try my best to stay as true to it as possible.  But remember, the grade is what the dealer views it as.  It is all subject to interpretation, and unless you read, look, contact,  you just might be taken for a ride.

I Need to note here that many dealers, myself included,  also use one more grade - SS or Still Sealed.  The photos used here are grading for cover only in an attempt to try to illustrate the grading.

The Goldmine Standard is as followed:

Mint (M)
Absolute perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, If at all.

Near Mint (NM or M-)
A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly)that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling.An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either.
And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like.
Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap. Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value.

                                                                                   Example of one that some would grade a VG+ or VG      Note the start of ring wear and discount notch 

Very Good Plus (VG+)
A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it.Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play.
Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.

Very Good (VG)
Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound.
Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.
Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price. This, not the Near Mint price, should be your guide when determining how much a record is worth, as that is the price a dealer will normally pay you for a Near Mint record.

Good (G), Good Plus (G+)
Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear (on a styrene record, the groove will be starting to turn white).A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object.It is a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But, if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it...but keep looking to upgrade.

Example of one some would call G some would call F Note sticker, edging, staining.

Poor (P), Fair (F)
The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, crinkled, and written upon.

JERRY OSBORNE Grading

10 Mint Condition 
9   Near Mint Condition 
8   Better than Very Good, but below Near Mint 
7   Very Good
6   Better than Good, but below Very Good 
5   Good 
4   Better than Poor, but below Good 
3   Poor 
2   Really Trashed 
1   It hurts to think about it

Some prefer the Osborne Grading.  I find it too vague.  Which grading do you prefer?  Or do you like to see the dealer use their own system?