If you’re a vinyl record lover looking to expand your collection or simply want to sell a few dusty albums from your attic, it’s important to understand the Goldmine Grading System, a comprehensive guide to how records are valued. The vinyl experts at Alison’s Record Shop in Nashville, TN, break it down so you can see where the albums you own or want to own rank on the system.

Basic Information About the Goldmine Grading System for Vinyl Records

1. The Guidelines

Although there was consensus across the board, much of the rating for albums used to be subjective and based on the individual buyer. Disputes in value continued to ensue, especially when bidding wars became digital. Therefore, a series of universal guidelines were created by Goldmine Records to determine a record’s worth.

2. The System

The system considers a variety of factors including visual condition, rarity, and demand. Then the record is rated on a scale. Price is determined based on those factors. For example, used vinyl records that are in high demand may fetch a higher price even if their condition is only Good or Very Good. However, a record that is in near perfect condition but extremely common won’t be worth much to a record shop.

3. The Ranking

Vinyl records are ranked based on the following categories:

Mint (M): An album that is in as perfect condition as the day it was sold. It must never have been played and is possibly still sealed.

Near Mint (NM or M-): An album that is in almost perfect condition. It may have been played a few times or not sealed. There should be no visible issues with the LP cover, sleeve, holes, creases, or folds. (This ranking usually fetches the highest price, because record shops rarely use a “Mint” rating).

Very Good Plus (VG+): This album still looks relatively good, but not up to the same quality as Near Mint. However, there is a big drop in price; a VG+ album is only worth 50% of its Mint value.

Very Good (VG): Usually has some creases or tears in the cover or has tape or stickers. There also may be some surface noise when the record is played. It’s worth up to 25% of its Mint value.

Good Plus / Good (G+/G): This rating is usually combined because the album’s worth is in a range of only 10-15% of its Mint value. The cover and record may have defects at this ranking that may directly affect its ability to be played.

Poor (P) / Fair (F): These vinyl records are only worth 0-5% of their Mint value and are rarely found on the shelves of a record shop unless their rarity or demand completely outweighs the condition of the album.

Album collecting has become even more common in recent years as vintage vinyl records increase in popularity with a new generation of music listeners. With genres from classic rock to 80s new wave, Alison’s Record Shop has records for every type of music listener in the Nashville area. For more information about their expansive collection of top-quality records, call (615) 356-0180 or visit them online.