A few questions as I'm sorting out some records I need to sell.

1/ Is there a Grading standard that everybody works to ?

2/ How do prices depreciate according to condition ?

i.e. If a record is worth £100 M- then what is that record worth at Ex or VG+ , is there a sliding scale ?

3/ How do you grade a record , what is the criteria ?

Help !!

Cheers

Swifty

The system I use, and the percentage of a Mint value each condition is worth, is as follows:

MINT: Perfect. May well have been played once or twice, but there are no marks and no audible evidence of playing (100%)

MINT-: As above, but maybe one or two very light marks, possibly caused by removing the record from the sleeve (90%)

EX: Very few light marks, but no deterioration in sound (75%)

VG+: Many light marks, and a small amount of surface noise, though this should not detract from the music. (55 - 60%)

VG: Surface marks - played quite well with some surface noise and maybe one or two superficial scratches. (50%)

GOOD: Lots of marks/scratches and noise, but will still play through with no jumps or sticks. Not a nice copy to listen to. (25%)

FAIR / POOR: Don't even go there!

Using your own judgement, plus and minus can be used between any of the grades. For example, a record in EX- condition is likely to be in better shape than one in VG+.

Hope this helps.

Gene

Edited April 21, 200916 yr by Gene-R

The system I use, and the percentage of a Mint value each condition is worth, is as follows:

MINT: Perfect. May well have been played once or twice, but there are no marks and no audible evidence of playing (100%)

MINT-: As above, but maybe one or two very light marks, possibly caused by removing the record from the sleeve (90%)

EX: Very few light marks, but no deterioration in sound (75%)

VG+: Many light marks, and a small amount of surface noise, though this should not detract from the music. (55 - 60%)

VG: Surface marks - played quite well with some surface noise and maybe one or two superficial scratches. (50%)

GOOD: Lots of marks/scratches and noise, but will still play through with no jumps or sticks. Not a nice copy to listen to. (25%)

FAIR / POOR: Don't even go there!

Using your own judgement, plus and minus can be used between any of the grades. For example, a record in EX- condition is likely to be in better shape than one in VG+.

Hope this helps.

Gene

Cheers Gene , very helpful mate , whilst on the subject is there any difference in UK & USA grading ( I wouldn't have thought there was but...) , the reason I ask is I have on quite a few occasions had records that were listed on ebay as Ex and were a bag of Shite

Thanks again

Swifty

... is there any difference in UK & USA grading ( I wouldn't have thought there was but...) , the reason I ask is I have on quite a few occasions had records that were listed on ebay as Ex and were a bag of Shite

Everyone may have different opinions on this, but I don't think EX is generally a U.S. grade at all, except for 78 rpm records. I know I don't use it, but use VG++ instead. As far as accurate or inaccurate grading, I've seen both - from all parts of the world.

Goldmine is the US standard - many eBay sellers use this.

Go here:

https://www.goldminemag.com/article/Collect...g_Your_Records/

Record Collector in the UK does similar I think.

The main difference is that UK Northern colectors use Excellent.

There can be confusion between US and UK grading systems - essentially VG+ can either be fairly close to Mint, or a total dog of a record

Cheers

Richard

Edited April 21, 200916 yr by Premium Stuff

This is true - Excellent only appears to be used in the UK, whereas VG+ is the next step down from MINT- in the USA.

A few questions as I'm sorting out some records I need to sell.

1/ Is there a Grading standard YES that everybody works to ? NO

There's a grading system called Goldmine that they use in the US and Record Collector have a system in the UK - give em a google

2/ How do prices depreciate according to condition ?

i.e. If a record is worth £100 M- then what is that record worth at Ex or VG+ , is there a sliding scale ?

An Ex record is worth about 20% less than a M- one, VG+ about half .....

...... but it all depends on demand

Working out the price of a M- is the hardest - a record is only worth whatever someone will pay for it. Ignore the books as they are massively inaccurate.

3/ How do you grade a record , what is the criteria ?

The above grading systems (including Gene's) pretty much explain this but the rule is:

Grade it as if you were receiving it in the post - would you be happy given the price you paid?

If in doubt reduce the grade.

Help !!

Cheers

Swifty

HTH

Cheers

Paul

HTH

Cheers

Paul

Thanks to All for your help , much appreciated !

Swifty