Sold Date: July 17, 2018
Start Date: July 13, 2018
Final Price: $119.99 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 1568
Buyer Feedback: 0

MONSTER from R.E.M. Sealed in factory shrink with 4 sharp corners and no bumps or bends. Retains not only the factory shrink wrap,  but also the original retail price sticker. The spine is centered and legible. I do not find any detractions to the sealed jacket, but there's always something. Hence the NM grade. 'Perfect' specimen. Thanks for looking. 

Please Note:  Although the majority of my LPs were bought new, many were purchased 'pre-owned'.  I was extremely picky about condition. All albums are stored in 3mil. poly sleeves, with most having a rice paper inner sleeve (retaining the original custom inner sleeve).  I try to grade the items for sale as if I were buying them myself. Record grading is totally subjective and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by mine. I do not consider NM and M- the same grade. Please see grading scale below. Grading is cover/disc.  Unlike many sellers, if an item is between Near Mint and Mint Minus, I will go down a grade, not up. Pictures are part of the description. Reflective glare may be present in pics.  If you have ANY issue with condition, please contact me before filing a claim with EbaY.  I will deal with you in a respectful and professional manner. If we cannot reach a mutually acceptable conclusion, I will refund your purchase price as well as your shipping cost.  Item must be returned in the same condition you received it in.  Records will be removed from the jacket prior to shipping. Sealed records will only be removed at buyer's request. This is to avoid seam splits.  Satisfaction guaranteed.   Thank you,  BL

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ

Grading is totally arbitrary, no matter what anyone says. I will assign a grade to the item listed and attempt to point out any detractions in the item listed. Grading of items is cover/disc. The pictured item is the one you'll be receiving, I do not use stock photos. All items are from my personal collection and are original issues. I do not sell fakes, bootlegs or pirated copies. Please read thru the entire description before bidding.  If you still have any questions, again, please contact me thru the EbaY messaging system before bidding. I will not remove any listing and sell privately. Thank you for viewing my listings.

(M) Mint: Mint is a grade I am reserving for a perfect record. There are no scratches, scuffs, hairlines, fingerprints, spindle marks or other indications that it has been handled or played. The jacket will have its original shrink which is opened. There are no corner bumps, scratches, mars, creases or other signs of jacket wear. There are really no "Mint" records. Even those sealed from the factory commonly have some detraction. I assume a sealed record to be mint. However, I cannot be in any way responsible for what exactly is inside the sealed jacket.

(NM) Near Mint: Near Mint is a record that is virtually flawless, clean and glossy. A near perfect, rarely-played record. May play with some very light and occasional dust or static related light noise that is only heard in the quietest passages. The vinyl and label surfaces show no obvious sign of wear. It looks clean with the factory shine and there may be a very light, barely visible paper scuff or two and a few light hairlines but no scratches. An LP jacket has no seam splits or any other obvious signs of wear but one or two light creases are acceptable. Ring wear should be almost invisible. No punch holes or other discount marks.  Very minimal corner bumps. Artist signatures are the only acceptable forms of handwriting for this grade. Basically, "Near Mint" looks as if you just got it home from a the record store and removed the shrink wrap.

(M-) Mint Minus and (NM-) Near Mint Minus:  A Mint Minus or Near Mint Minus may have light paper scuffs or have a light hairline scratch present, but will have no effect on sonic quality. Light spindle marks may also be present. Looks clean and unplayed. The record will have it's factory gloss and luster. The jacket will not have ring wear or seam splits. No 'cut out' marks or any writing or stickers. May show some signs of light use but nothing that would constitute a distraction. This grade will present as "near new" having been properly handled and cared for. Again, little or no sign of handling or use, any detractions will be noted.

(VG++) Very Good Plus Plus: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show signs of use and may have slight paper scuffs or very light surface scratches that only reveal themselves in the quietest of passages and don't detract from the overall sonic quality. Most factory shine is still present. Slight edge warps that do not affect the tracking or sound quality are OK and will be noted. An LP jacket may have some signs of ring wear or shelf wear and a small corner bump or two, these are minimal and acceptable for this grade.  A small seam split is also acceptable and will be noted. Jacket may have a  sawcut or punch hole, light owner signatures, DJ marks and other forms of handwriting are acceptable for this grade. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be a showcase piece. All but the most discriminating collectors will find a 'Very Good Plus Plus' record highly acceptable.

(VG+) Very Good Plus: Many of the defects found in a VG++ record are more pronounced in a VG+ disc but it is still a keeper. Surface noise is evident upon playing, but does not overwhelm the music. Groove wear will start to be audible and a random click, tic or soft pop may be evident but will not detract from the enjoyment of the recorded material. The jacket may have a seam split or ring wear and labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. A small light stain or some discoloring may be evident. The cover may exhibit a combination of these flaws but they will not overwhelm the piece.

(VG) Very Good: A VG disc will have more flaws but it is still a keeper. Surface noise is evident upon playing but does not overpower the music. Groove wear will be audible along with occasional pops and tics but there are no skips. The jacket may have a significant seam split and the spine may be seriously flaked. Labels and jackets may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. A small light stain or some discoloring may be evident. The cover may exhibit a combination of these flaws but they will not overwhelm the piece.

(G+) Good Plus, (G) Good: Good means acceptable, not completely trashed. The grade I usually reserve for listing the rarest of records. A record in 'Good' condition can be put onto a turntable and will play but it will have significant audible surface noise. A jacket or sleeve has larger seam splits and there may be significant water stains, tape, writing, ring wear or other defects that will start to overwhelm the object.

Special Note: I am human. I grade conservatively, however on occasion I may miss something. There are always exceptions to the rules. If you have ANY issue with the piece, please contact me first. I will make it right. Again, please do not initiate a return request or an item not as described thru ebay until you give me a chance to rectify the problem. Also, before leaving any neutral or negative feedback, I will deal with you professionally and respectfully. Thank you.