Sold Date: December 2, 2018
Start Date: November 22, 2018
Final Price: £21.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 11
Seller Feedback: 68
Buyer Feedback: 0

FIRST PRESS OF THE WHO - QUADROPHENIA
Very good copy with booklet

VINYL - VG - close to VG+ but marked down as some audible background noise. Tested on a Linn turntable and professionally cleaned.

COVER - VG - some minor scuffs and inner booklet has become detached but is intact.

Every record I sell is a record I would love in my collection. In 90% of cases the records (both sleeve and disc) are in very good or excellent condition. The other 10% are records of such rarity that we have compromised slightly on quality. Our ratings are clearly shown for all records and are based on the Goldmine standards as below:

MINT (M)
These are absolutely perfect in every way. Often rumored but rarely seen.

NEAR MINT (NM OR M-)
A good description of a NM record is “it looks like it just came from a retail store and it was opened for the first time.” In other words, it’s nearly perfect. NM records are shiny, with no visible defects. Writing, stickers or other markings cannot appear on the label, nor can any “spindle marks” from someone trying to blindly put the record on the turntable.

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) or EXCELLENT (E)
A good description of a VG+ record is “except for a couple minor things, this would be Near Mint.”

VG+ records may show some slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playing has not misshapen the hole. There may be some very light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable.

VG+ covers should have only minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (less than one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location. Also, a VG+ cover may have some defacing, such as a cut-out marking. Covers with cut-out markings can never be considered Near Mint.

VERY GOOD (VG)
VG records have more obvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most of the original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VG record has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages and during a song’s intro and ending. But the noise will not overpower the music otherwise.

Minor writing, tape or a sticker can detract from the label.

VG covers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside, is obvious, though not overwhelming. Some more creases might be visible. Seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides, though it won’t be obvious upon looking. Someone might have written or it or stamped a price tag on it, too.

Good (G)
Good does not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, so it can serve as filler until something better comes along. But it has significant surface noise and groove wear, and the label is worn, with significant ring wear, heavy writing, or obvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tape or stickers and failing miserably. A Good to VG– cover has ring wear to the point of distraction, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing, such as, for example, huge radio station letters written across the front to deter theft.

If the item is common, it’s probably better to pass it up. But if you’ve been seeking it for a long time, get it cheap and look to upgrade.