Is there a Guide Available to Grading LP's.


First I would like to wish everyone a very merry christmas and hope the new year brings much happiness.

To the question at hand, when buying LP's they are graded as Mint, near mint, VG++ and so on.
Is there a guide or chart available for the buyer so we know just what were buying? It's some what confusing when reading the music ads as to the grading of the lp's.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Rick.


Ag insider logo xs@2xramond
Yes. The standard is from Goldmine magazine, which is for record collector's. Here is a link to one reprint of the grading system:

http://www.12mb.com/connie/grade&care.htm
There is a Goldmine standard on grading records. Basically it sais that if the record doesn't skip it's good otherwise it's trash.
Mint means new or unplayed.

Near-mint looks like new plays like new but "doesn't feel like new"

VG+ looks barely used and with high-quality pickup will produce no surface noise or very slightly audiable.

VG looks used but not abused and plays with audiable surface noise on the quiet tracks and between the tracks and had been played quite often even small clicks and pops can be also the case.

VG-, G are near on the grading where the record plays with surface noise clicks, pops but doesn't skip.

Fair, Poor are also near on grading where you can have skips... Certainly on Poor record you can have them probably on every song.

To my collection standards I don't buy and even don't sell records bellow VG+ unless the record is real treasure and original.
I'd only buy from those that grade using the strict Goldmine standards. If they don't know what Goldmine is, chances are, (they haven't a clue), they will misgrade, and won't have any idea as to grading in general.

Just my experience with 20 years buying from paper set sale and auction lists.