| grading your collection... |
 rading your collection can be a time consuming process!! Look
at everything about the record. Including it's playing surface, it's
label, it's edges and the sleeve (where appropriate)...under a
strong light. Then based on your impression you will be able to
grade your collection based on the following criteria:
Mint (M)
Absolutely perfect in every way. The item should be in brand
new condition with no surface marks or deteriation. The disc, cover
and any other contents (lyric sheet, booklet etc..) should be in
perfect condition
Special attention should also be placed on sunlight and
on sources of heat such as radiators, vents, and artifical lighting.
Also beware of high humidity and water. This will cause mould to
grow on the album jackets and within the inner sleeves causing
unrepairable damage.
Near Mint/Excellent (NM or M-)
A nearly perfect record. The record should show no obvious
signs of wear and only minor signs of being played. 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
jacket should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other
noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either and the same
should be true of any other inserts, for example posters, lyric
sleeves etc..
Very Good (VG)
A "Very Good" record will show some signs that it was
played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care
of it. There's no major deterioration in sound quality but there
maybe slight surface scuffs or very light scratches that don't
affect the listening experiences. 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. An LP jacket may
have slight signs of wear also. In general normal wear and tear on
the cover or extra items without any major defects is acceptable
Good (G)
Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good condition can be put
onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But the
sound quality will probably have noticeably deteriorated perhaps
with surface noise, mild scratches and visible groove wear. The
cover or sleeve will have probably have seam splits, scuffing of the
edges and/or discolouration.
Fair (F)
The record is probably just playable and/or the sleeve etc will
be damaged or torn.
Poor (P)
The record is probably cracked, badly warped, and won't play
through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve will be
damaged, split or heavily de-faced by wear and writing. Except for
impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, these are only of
use as a collection filler.
Remember: When you make a purchase from eil.com every
item listed is in mint condition unless otherwise stated and every
order is covered by our 100% satisfaction guarantee!
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