Q Do you have a retail store where I can shop for items? A No. Items are only available online via the internet. If you have additional questions please use the contact form on this site before making a purchase.
Q Can I return an item if I decide I don't want it? A No. Due to the nature of reproducable items such as cds, tapes, books, movies and records, items are sold as is and returns are not accepted. Please be sure you are choosing the correct item before you check out.
Q What is the condition of products on this site? Are they new or used? Are they clean? A Both. New and sealed, new and unsealed or used, varying from acceptable to like new. Items are surface cleaned prior to listing. Records may require additional cleaning to improve listening experience on your equipment. The item condition is noted in each listing.
Q I received a used item graded as "very good" and it has a small scratch or two. I disagree with this grading and want to return it and get my money back. Can I return it and file a claim? A No. All items are sold as is and are not eligible for returns, refunds or claims. Please read and understand the (goldmine) grading scale on this site in its entirety. If you have questions or need additional pictures of a product, please use thecontact form.
Q How are items graded? A Grading scale for vinyl records (lps),cds and tapes and books,printed media. Mint (M) Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, If at all.
Near Mint (NM or M-) A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. 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 cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like. Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap. Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value.
Very Good Plus (VG+) Generally worth 50 percent of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". 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, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
Very Good (VG) Generally worth 25 percent of Near Mint value. Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them. Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price. This, not the Near Mint price, should be your guide when determining how much a record is worth, as that is the price a dealer will normally pay you for a Near Mint record.
Good (G), Good Plus (G+) Generally worth 10-15 percent of the Near Mint value. Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear (on a styrene record, the groove will be starting to turn white). A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. It is a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But, if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it...but keep looking to upgrade.
Poor (P), Fair (F), Acceptable Generally worth 0-5 percent of the Near Mint price. The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, crinkled, and written upon. Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each
Condition note and disclaimer: This item's condition and grading is described according to my opinion of its appearance and/or how it plays on my equipment. There is no guarantee that you will have the same opinion of its condition or that you will have the same results on your equipment. It may play better, worse or not at all due to variations in equipment age, model, style, location or variations in the user's knowledge, personal preferences, settings or abilities to interpret sights, sounds or the use of any other senses. This item may have been owned, handled and/or stored by more than one person or by more than one business in more than one location such as an attic, basement, residence, garage, business, warehouse, vehicle or storage facility and may have been exposed to and/or contain residue of various agents, chemicals or substances that occur in nature and are natural such as bacteria, mold, mildew, fungus, dust, pollen, animal dander, pet hair, smoke or any other known or unknown allergens or man-made agents, chemicals or substances that may be hazardous, toxic or nontoxic including, but not limited to, petroleum products or cleaning agents. This item may have been acquired from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to: a retail store, a thrift store, a garage sale, a flea market or it may have been received as a gift, trade or purchase from a person or company located anywhere in the world. Therefore it may have certain smells or odors (or undetectable, odorless chemicals,natural or man-made) which may be detectable by some people, animals or substance detectors.The odor may or may not be detectable by me. If it is, it will be noted in the description area. This item has been surface cleaned prior to listing. This usually means it has been wiped with an ordinary dry or a damp cloth containing one or more of the following: plain water, or one or more of the following chemicals or solutions mixed with or without water: alcohol, baking soda, bleach, vinegar and/or a common commercial or residential liquid, powder or paste cleaner and/or a stain, spot or sticky substance remover, solvent or solution. If it has been more than surface cleaned (deep cleaned or professionally cleaned), it will be noted in the condition description.