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corners and seams that are just starting to show wear.

*VERY GOOD (VG)
Vinyl records in very good condition are starting to show groove wear that can affect the sound but does not overwhelm the music when played. The label and/or sleeves may have writing, tape or stickers or sticker residue but cannot have a combination of these flaws.

*GOOD OR GOOD PLUS (G OR G+)

A LP graded in good condition can have show signs of flaws but still must play without skipping. It may have signs of groove wear and scratches. The seams of the cover may show signs of splitting and other flaws such as taping, stickers, writing and ring wear will become overly noticeable. Collectors usually pass on records in this condition unless it is a record that is very rare, hard to find and/or the price is unbeatable for the condition.

*POOR OR FAIR (P OR F)
As the condition states, records in this condition are almost worthless especially to a collector. The record is usually badly warped, scratched and even cracked and skips during play. The cover will have highly visible damage including heavy writing, water damage and the cover has split on the seams where it may even be starting to fall apart.

Because diehard collectors are especially particular about their vinyl records, many sellers will under grade the quality of the record and the covers. If you have a vinyl record that looks worthless but the cover is in great condition (or vice versa), the piece in better condition can still be valuable for a collector looking for a replacement. Educating yourself about the grading process will aid in determining the value of vinyl records whether you are selling a personal collection or if you are looking on building your own.

Sources:
http://www.recordc ollectorsguild.org/index.php
ht tp://www.thegreatescapeonline. com/grading_vinyl.jsp

Learn more about this author, Angela Pollock.
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