Sold Date: November 4, 2021
Start Date: October 28, 2021
Final Price: $28.00 (USD)
Bid Count: 1
Seller Feedback: 348
Buyer Feedback: 0

Bob Marley; Catch A Fire; Island ILPS-9421 (#2 STERLING) 1973; VG+Vinyl; EX/NM Cover.

Side A run out: ILPS-1-9241  #2  WW2 STERLING

Side B run out:   ILPS -9 ILPS-2-9241  WW1  STERLING

RE: Side B: The 1st “ILPS-9”  is scribbled out;

Re: Both sides: The “STERLING”is in very small print on opposite side of label and there is a strange symbol on both sides that could be a sloppy    -1    or a dash in front of a small triangle w/slightly opened corners?

MINT (M) These are absolutely perfect in every way. Often rumored butrarely seen, Mint should never be used as a grade unless more than one personagrees that the record or sleeve truly is in this condition. There is no setpercentage of the Near Mint value these can bring; it is best negotiatedbetween buyer and seller.

NEAR MINT (NM OR M-) A good description of a NM record is “it looks like it justcame from a retail store and it was opened for the first time.” In other words,it’s nearly perfect. Many dealers won’t use a grade higher than this, implying(perhaps correctly) that no record or sleeve is ever truly perfect. NM recordsare shiny, with no visible defects. Writing, stickers or other markings cannotappear on the label, nor can any “spindle marks” from someone trying to blindlyput the record on the turntable. Major factory defects also must be absent; arecord and label obviously pressed off center is not Near Mint. If played, itwill do so with no surface noise. (NM records don’t have to be “never played”;a record used on an excellent turntable can remain NM after many plays if thedisc is properly cared for.) NM covers are free of creases, ring wear and seamsplits of any kind. NOTE: These are high standards, and they are not on asliding scale. A record or sleeve from the 1950s must meet the same standardsas one from the 1990s or 2000s to be Near Mint! It’s estimated that no morethan 2 to 4 percent of all records remaining from the 1950s and 1960s are trulyNear Mint. This is why they fetch such high prices, even for more common items.Don’t assume your records are Near Mint. They must meet these standards toqualify!

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) or EXCELLENT (E) A good description of a VG+ recordis “except for a couple minor things, this would be Near Mint.” Mostcollectors, especially those who want to play their records, will be happy witha VG+ record, especially if it toward the high end of the grade (sometimescalled VG++ or E+). VG+ records may show some slight signs of wear, including lightscuffs 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 areOK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playinghas not misshapen the hole. There may be some very light ring wear ordiscoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. VG+ covers should have onlyminor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (lessthan one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location.

Also, a VG+ cover may have somedefacing, such as a cut-out marking. Covers with cut-out markings can never beconsidered Near Mint.

Very Good (VG) Many of the imperfections found on a VG+ record are moreobvious on a VG record. That said, VG records — which usually sell for no morethan 25 percent of a NM record — are among the biggest bargains in recordcollecting, because most of the “big money” goes for more perfect copies. Formany listeners, a VG record or sleeve will be worth the money. VG records havemore obvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most ofthe original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident onsight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. Whenplayed, 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 noisewill not overpower the music otherwise. Minor writing, tape or a sticker candetract from the label. Many collectors who have jukeboxes will use VG recordsin them and not think twice. They remain a fine listening experience, just notthe same as if it were in better shape. VG covers will have many signs of humanhandling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where theedge of a record would reside, is obvious, though not overwhelming. Some morecreases might be visible. Seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear onall three sides, though it won’t be obvious upon looking. Someone might havewritten or it or stamped a price tag on it, too.

Good (G), Good Plus (G+) or VeryGood Minus (VG–) These records go for 10 to 15percent of the Near Mint value, if you are lucky. Good does not mean bad! Therecord still plays through without skipping, so it can serve as filler untilsomething better comes along. But it has significant surface noise and groovewear, and the label is worn, with significant ring wear, heavy writing, orobvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tape or stickers and failingmiserably. A Good to VG– cover has ring wear to the point of distraction, hasseam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing, such as, forexample, huge radio station letters written across the front to deter theft. Ifthe item is common, it’s probably better to pass it up. But if you’ve beenseeking it for a long time, get it cheap and look to upgrade.

POOR (P) and Fair (F) Poor (P) andFair (F) records go for 0 to 5 percent ofthe Near Mint value, if they go at all. More likely, they end up going in thetrash. Records are cracked, impossibly warped, or skip and/or repeat when anattempt is made to play them. Covers are so heavily damaged that you almostwant to cry.