Record grading is the language of vinyl collecting. When a seller lists a record as VG+ or NM, they’re making a claim about its playback quality that directly affects what you should pay. Understanding these grades — and their real-world meaning — is one of the most practical skills a collector can develop.
The Goldmine Grading Scale
The industry standard is the Goldmine grading scale, which runs from Mint (M) down through Near Mint (NM), Very Good Plus (VG+), Very Good (VG), Good Plus (G+), Good (G), Fair (F), and Poor (P). In practice, most buying and selling happens in the NM to VG range.
| Grade | Abbrev. | Visual | Playback | Typical Value vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint | M | Perfect, unplayed | Silent | 100%+ |
| Near Mint | NM / M- | Nearly perfect | Silent or near-silent | 100% |
| Very Good Plus | VG+ | Light marks, minimal | Very light surface noise | 50–80% |
| Very Good | VG | Visible marks | Audible surface noise | 25–50% |
| Good Plus | G+ | Heavy marks | Significant noise | 10–25% |
| Good | G | Very worn | Plays through with noise | 5–15% |
What Each Grade Sounds Like
Near Mint (NM)
On a properly set-up turntable like the Arkrocket Huygens, an NM record should play with virtually no surface noise. The only sound should be the music itself. This is the grade serious collectors aim for.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
VG+ is the most commonly traded grade in the collector market. Light marks from being slid in and out of sleeves. On a quiet system, you may hear faint crackle in the quiet passages. On most home systems at normal listening volumes, VG+ is indistinguishable from NM.
Very Good (VG)
Visible marks that can be felt with a fingernail. Audible surface noise throughout, more prominent in quiet passages. Worth buying only for rare titles where better copies are unavailable, or for casual listening where sonic quality isn’t the priority.
Visual Grading vs. Play Grading
Most grading on Discogs and in record shops is visual — the seller is describing what they see, not what they’ve heard. A visually NM record that plays with noise has been graded incorrectly. A visually VG+ record that plays silently may actually be NM.
The most reliable test is to play the record on a quality turntable with a clean, properly adjusted stylus. The AR-N60 Moving Magnet cartridge used across Arkrocket’s lineup is particularly good at revealing groove condition — if a record has issues, you’ll hear them immediately.
Grading Sleeves Separately
On Discogs, media (record) and sleeve grades are listed separately. A listing might read “VG+/VG” meaning the record is VG+ but the sleeve is only VG. For collectors who care about complete packages, sleeve condition matters significantly. For listeners who care only about playback, the media grade is what counts.
Previous: 9.1 — How to Use Discogs · Next: 9.3 — How to Spot Counterfeit Pressings
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