Walk into any record shop, scroll any online seller, and the same six abbreviations will appear next to every used record on offer: M, NM, VG+, VG, G+, G. These letters were standardised in the 1970s by Goldmine magazine — the United States’ authoritative vinyl publication — and they remain the lingua franca of record buying today. Get the grading wrong, and you’re either overpaying for a battered LP or missing out on a sealed treasure. Here’s how to read the code.
Why grading even exists
Records degrade physically — they’re soft plastic discs played back by a needle dragged across their surface — and they degrade visually, with sleeves that yellow, split, and tear. A grading system gives buyers and sellers a shared vocabulary for two distinct properties:
- The vinyl itself (how it sounds, how the playing surface looks).
- The sleeve and inserts (the jacket, inner sleeve, lyric inserts, posters).
A serious seller will grade both. A casual seller will conflate them. Always read closely.
The Goldmine grading scale, top to bottom
Mint (M) — perfect
Sealed in factory shrink, never opened, never played. A true Mint record has no manufacturing defects and shows zero handling. Most “Mint” listings are mislabelled — outside of unopened originals and modern reissues, real Mint is rare. Pay accordingly.
Near Mint (NM or M-) — looks unplayed
The realistic top grade for anything that’s been out of the shrink wrap. Vinyl is glossy black with no marks visible under direct light. The sleeve has crisp corners, no seam splits, no ring wear, no writing. Maybe played once or twice on excellent equipment. This is the grade most audiophiles target.
Very Good Plus (VG+) — minor cosmetic, sounds great
A record that’s been gently used. Light surface marks visible at an angle but no deep scratches. Plays back with minimal-to-no surface noise. Sleeve has one or two small imperfections — a soft corner, light ring wear, a tiny seam start. VG+ is where most collectors get their best value for money.
Very Good (VG) — audible wear, still listenable
Surface marks are obvious; you’ll hear them as occasional ticks or crackle in quiet passages. The music itself is intact and enjoyable, but a discerning ear will notice. Sleeves at this grade often have writing, more pronounced ring wear, or a small seam split. Acceptable for hard-to-find titles where higher grades are scarce.
Good Plus (G+) — heavily played
Continuous surface noise throughout. Skips possible on damaged tracks. Sleeves often have tape repairs, water marks, or significant tears. Generally only worth buying for very rare records where a better copy is essentially unobtainable, or for music you simply want to hear at almost any cost.
Good (G) — collector relic, not a listener
Plays through, but barely. Constant noise, possibly skips, audible damage. Most G records have value only for completists or for the sleeve art. Don’t pay more than a token amount.
How we grade at Blacknote
Our policy is simple: we grade conservatively. If a record sits between two grades, we list the lower one. We inspect every used record under a bright neutral light, audition the side most likely to show wear, and note any defects — pressing flaws, edge warps, off-centre holes — in the listing.
Before any used record ships, we send the buyer a short video over WhatsApp of the actual record being inspected. If the actual condition differs from our grading, the order is refunded before it leaves our table.
Red flags when shopping elsewhere
- “Plays VG+, looks VG” — a hint that the seller is reluctant to fully commit to VG+. Treat it as VG.
- “Mint condition” on an unsealed original — almost always misleading. Ask for Near Mint or better.
- No mention of the sleeve grade — assume the sleeve is at least one grade lower than the vinyl.
- No mention of inserts — for albums that originally shipped with posters, lyric sheets, or stickers, the absence of these can halve the value.
- Photos that hide the playing surface behind a paper sleeve or that show only the gatefold — ask for a clear shot of the record under direct light.
Read a grade like an audiophile
The grade alone doesn’t tell you everything. Always cross-reference:
- Pressing country and matrix. An original UK Blue Note in VG often outranks a modern reissue in NM.
- Label details. First pressings often command a premium; reissues, even if pristine, may not.
- Sleeve completeness. Original inner sleeves, posters, hype stickers, OBI strips on Japanese pressings — all factor in.
- The seller’s return policy. A confident seller offers grade-mismatch protection. We do.
Once you’ve internalised the scale, buying records gets easier — and a lot cheaper. The best collections are built by people who know the difference between VG+ and Near Mint and only pay the premium when it’s genuinely warranted.
