The Surfaris - Fun City USA (1964, Decca, Stereo) VG+/VG with Bonus 7"

Sold Date: July 10, 2019
Start Date: May 20, 2019
Final Price: $16.99 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 258
Buyer Feedback: 42


The Surfaris - Fun City, USA in Stereo LP vinyl record (1964, Decca Records, DL 74560). Includes a bonus Surfaris 7" promotional copy single of "Shake" and "Search".  Fun City, USA Record Sleeve is in Very Good Plus (VG+) Condition. Fun City, USA Record is in Very Good (VG) Condition by viewing it, however we tested the record and it plays in Very Good Plus (VG+) condition.

Please click on photos/enlarge to see the exact condition of the items listed. Stored in and ships in clear plastic cover sleeve.


SHIPPING
We ship within 1-2 days after payment is received/processed. When possible, and quite often, we ship the same day. Delivery times are approximate and are based on the distance the item needs to travel from our location in Sarasota, Florida and USPS's methods of operations. Because we cannot control what happens during the shipping process, we take extra measures in packing to help your order arrive safe and sound. Unfortunately, we cannot ship outside of the United States at this time.

We ship FREE via USPS Media Mail with tracking (approx. 2-14 business days). However, if you need faster shipping, we also offer:
+ USPS Priority Mail Shipping (approx. 1-3 business days) for a flat fee of $6.95.

PLEASE NOTE: If you purchase 4 or more items from our eBay store (add 4 or more items to the cart), we will upgrade your shipping to FREE USPS Priority Mail.


We ship vinyl well-packed in boxes, not envelopes. May seem like overkill, but we've been shipping for years. We'd rather be safe, than sorry. That said, all of the packing materials used can be reused and/or recycled. The green bubble wrap is biodegradable and recyclable. The air-filled bubbles can be reused or popped and then recycled.

ABOUT US
All of the media offered for sale in our eBay store is from our extensive personal collection which has been kept in exceptional condition in a smoke-free, climate-controlled environment over the years. Most of the time, we only have one copy of an item and once it's sold, it's sold. We are life-long vinyl record collectors who also started a healthy collection of DVDs, CDs and Blu-rays in the past decade. We won't even discuss the size of the VHS collection we have since donated. We started an eBay store to reduce the size of our collection... but funny enough, being on eBay has allowed us to discover other collectors on eBay... so our collecting isn't slowing down any time soon! Once a collector, always a collector!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We try to respond to messages fairly quickly. Please consider sending us a message to discuss an issue before starting a case with eBay or leaving feedback. If we can make it right, we will. Thank you for shopping with the Mangrove Cottage Shop! Check out our eBay store to see all of our items for sale. And come back often as we add new items weekly!


Goldmine Record Grading System

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

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. Many dealers won’t use a grade higher than this, implying (perhaps correctly) that no record or sleeve is ever truly 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. Major factory defects also must be absent; a record and label obviously pressed off center is not Near Mint. If played, it will 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 the disc is properly cared for.)

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.” Most collectors, especially those who want to play their records, will be happy with a VG+ record, especially if it toward the high end of the grade (sometimes called VG++ or E+).

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)
Many of the imperfections found on a VG+ record are more obvious on a VG record. That said, VG records — which usually sell for no more than 25 percent of a NM record — are among the biggest bargains in record collecting, because most of the “big money” goes for more perfect copies. For many listeners, a VG record or sleeve will be worth the money.

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. Many collectors who have jukeboxes will use VG records in them and not think twice. They remain a fine listening experience, just not the same as if it were in better shape.

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 Plus (G+)
or Very Good Minus (VG–)

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.

POOR (P)
and Fair (F)

Poor (P) and Fair (F) records go for 0 to 5 percent of the Near Mint value, if they go at all. More likely, they end up going in the trash. Records are cracked, impossibly warped, or skip and/or repeat when an attempt is made to play them. Covers are so heavily damaged that you almost want to cry.