Vinyl Record Grading Tool

Grade any record in about a minute, using the same Goldmine standard record stores and price guides rely on. Answer a few questions about the vinyl and the sleeve, and get a grade you can use in listings, insurance notes or your collection.

How to grade a vinyl record

Every used record gets two grades: one for the media (the vinyl itself) and one for the sleeve. Both follow the Goldmine standard, the grading scale created by Goldmine magazine and used by record stores, price guides and marketplaces like Discogs.

01

Check the vinyl under light

Hold the record at an angle under a strong, direct light. Scuffs, hairlines and scratches show up at an angle that you will miss looking straight down.

02

Inspect the sleeve

Look for seam splits, ring wear (the circular impression of the record pressing through), writing, stickers and crushed corners.

03

Play grade if it matters

Visual grading is an estimate. For valuable records, the sound is the final word: silent backgrounds grade higher than crackle, and skips cap a record at G+ or below.

The Goldmine grading scale

Goldmine price guides quote values for near mint copies. Every grade below NM is worth a fraction of that value, which is why one grade step can halve the price.

Grade Name What it means Value vs near mint
M Mint Absolutely perfect, often still sealed. Never played, no flaws of any kind. Rarely awarded. 100% or more
NM Near Mint Looks barely handled. Shiny vinyl, no visible marks, plays with silent backgrounds. The benchmark grade. 100%
VG+ Very Good Plus Light scuffs or hairlines from careful play and handling. Nothing that affects the sound. Most well-kept records land here. Around 50%
VG Very Good Visible wear and light surface noise, but plays through without skipping. Honest everyday condition. Around 25%
G+ Good Plus Significant wear, noise or deep marks, but still plays through. A listening copy. 10 to 15%
G Good Heavy wear with noise throughout playback. Plays without skipping, but the flaws are always audible. Around 10%
F Fair Barely playable. Skips, repeats or heavy damage. Under 5%
P Poor Cracked, warped beyond play or otherwise unusable. Filler until a better copy comes along. Under 5%

Why records get two grades

The vinyl and the sleeve age differently. A record stored in its sleeve for 40 years can play near mint while the cover shows heavy ring wear, and a reseller who replaced the sleeve can offer the opposite. Serious sellers always list both grades separately, written as "Media: VG+ / Sleeve: VG". This tool grades both, in that order.

Vinyl grading FAQ

What is the Goldmine grading standard?

The Goldmine standard is the grading scale published by Goldmine magazine, the long-running music collectors' publication. It defines the grades M, NM, VG+, VG, G+, G, F and P, and is the de facto standard for used vinyl: Discogs, record fairs and most independent stores grade against it.

What does VG+ mean on a vinyl record?

VG+ (Very Good Plus) means the record shows light signs of careful use: faint scuffs or hairlines you catch under direct light, but nothing that affects playback. A VG+ record typically sells for about half of what a near mint copy fetches.

Should I grade visually or by playing the record?

Most sellers grade visually because play grading every record is impractical, and the Goldmine standard is written to work visually. But sound is the final word: if a record plays worse than it looks, it takes the lower grade. This tool asks about both and uses whichever is worse.

Is a sealed record automatically Mint?

No. Sealed records can still be warped, have pressing defects or seam splits under the shrink. Grade a sealed record M only if you are confident about what is inside; many sellers list sealed records as "Sealed" rather than M for exactly this reason.

How much does condition affect a record's value?

Massively. Goldmine price guides quote near mint values, and each step down roughly halves the price: VG+ is about 50% of NM, VG about 25%, and G+ about 10 to 15%. For valuable records, the difference between VG+ and NM is often more money than the difference between pressings.

Can I save my grades somewhere?

Yes. The Groovv app keeps a condition history for every record in your collection: media and sleeve grades, notes and photos, useful for insurance and resale. This web tool gives you the grade; the app remembers it.

Is this grading tool free?

Yes. Unlimited grades, no account, no sign-up. It is built by Groovv, the vinyl collection app for iOS and Android.

Keep every grade with the record it belongs to

Groovv catalogues your collection by barcode scan, cover recognition or Discogs search, and keeps grades, photos, value and play history on every record. Grade it here, save it there.

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