Media & Sleeve Condition Standards
Vinylarea follows the Goldmine Standard to assess the condition of items offered in the Marketplace. Over time, the seller community has expanded these guidelines to include additional grading rules specifically for CDs.
Mint (M)
Vinyl
Completely flawless in all aspects. Most likely never played; may even remain factory sealed. This grade should be used very carefully, if used at all.
CD
Impeccable condition. No marks or scratches, unplayed, potentially still sealed.
Insert/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Absolutely perfect with no wear or marks; may be sealed.
Cassette
The J-card is clean, sharp, and without imperfections. Usually sealed. The tape is new and professionally produced. Should only be used for items free from any defect.
Near Mint (NM or M-)
Vinyl
Almost perfect. A NM record likely has not been played, and playback should be flawless. Minor handling traces may exist, but no noticeable wear. LP sleeves must be free of creases, splits, cut-outs, or similar issues.
CD
Nearly perfect. May have been played, but treated with exceptional care.
Packaging: Very slight, barely visible marks.
Cassette
Sleeve appears crisp with minimal signs of handling. Tape is in excellent condition and should play without issues.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
Vinyl
Typically worth about half the value of a NM record. Some cosmetic signs of play are expected—light scuffs, faint scratches, or small warps that don't affect sound. Mild label wear or discoloration may appear. Minor sleeve wear or corner bends may be present.
CD
Minor signs of use such as a few light marks. Carefully handled and definitely not abused.
Packaging: Slight wear or small indentations; may have a cut-out or similar feature.
Cassette
Sleeve may show minor wear or light marks. Tape should still play cleanly with minimal noise.
Very Good (VG)
Vinyl
Usually valued at about 25% of NM. All typical VG+ flaws are more noticeable here. Surface noise will be present but shouldn't overshadow the music. Light scratches, groove wear, or labeling issues may occur.
CD
Several light scratches or some deeper marks. Clearly used but not excessively mistreated.
Packaging: More signs of wear; might include small tears or writing.
Cassette
Sleeve and shell will show more wear than VG+. Some tape hiss or degradation may be audible.
Good (G) / Good Plus (G+)
Vinyl
Worth around 10–15% of NM. The record is still playable with no skipping, but heavy noise, scratches, and groove wear will be very noticeable. Covers usually have seam splits, writing, or strong ring wear.
CD
Heavily scratched but still fully playable. Poor handling is evident.
Packaging: Significant wear, marks, or tears.
Cassette
Severely worn sleeve, obvious indentations, fading, or writing. Tape and shell show heavy wear. Playback may include strong noise.
Poor (P) / Fair (F)
Vinyl
Worth near 0–5% of NM. Cracked, warped, or unable to play without skipping. Sleeves are heavily damaged or barely holding together.
CD
May not play all tracks. Check seller notes for details.
Packaging: Major damage such as tears, writing, or water stains.
Cassette
Sleeve or tape shows severe damage or is partially missing. Tape likely will not play through properly.
Standard Jewel Cases
Not graded since they can be easily replaced.
Generic Sleeves
A "generic" sleeve refers to a simple or standard company sleeve that does not belong to the specific release. Such sleeves do not require additional grading, as they add minimal value and can be replaced. Sellers may add extra comments if needed.
