The Mystery Vinyl Co. Grading Guide

M: Mint

The Holy Grail. A record that has never touched a turntable, remains completely unplayed, and displays zero drop in audio quality. It is also basically a myth, much like a printer that actually works or a British pub serving food past 9 PM. We do not claim Mint. If a record is sealed, we assume the vinyl itself is Near Mint until the shrink wrap comes off.

NM: Near Mint

As close to perfect as a played record gets. Spun maybe once or twice by a collector who washed their hands first and probably felt incredibly guilty about the whole thing. The vinyl is flawless, entirely free of scuffs, and plays in dead silence. The sleeve is sharp, flat, and pristine with every original insert accounted for. A genuine rarity.

EX: Excellent

A record that has earned the right to call itself excellent. It has been played, likely quite a few times, but always by someone who treated it with absolute respect. If you are the type to inspect wax under a harsh light, you might spot a microscopic hairline, and there could be a whisper of quiet background noise during silent gaps, but the playback is beautiful. The cover has some character and light wear, but remains in fantastic shape. The spine text is easy to read, and any stickers are tiny and clean. Along with VG+, this is where the bulk of our records live.

VG+: Very Good Plus

The workhorse. This is the undisputed standard of the used vinyl world, and where most of our boxes are built. Played? Sure. Abused? Absolutely not. You might spot a few light marks or a slightly duller shine under direct light, but none of it interferes with the music. Expect occasional, minor surface noise, but it usually fades into the background once the track gets going. The cover shows normal age, with maybe a soft corner, a tiny sticker, or mild ring wear, but the spine remains perfectly readable. It is the reliable friend who always shows up and never lets you down.

VG: Very Good

A record that has genuinely lived. You can tell this one has spent years on the turntable. Expect obvious marks, light scratches, and noticeable surface noise in the quiet passages, but it still spins all the way through without skipping or ruining the music. The sleeve shows its age with noticeable ring wear, scuffed edges, or even an old owner's name written on the back. However, we have strict standards: we will never send out a sleeve with split seams, water damage, or major tears. We only curate VG records when the album is too rare or historically important to leave behind.

Our Grading Guarantee

If a record arrives and you are not completely happy with the condition, drop us a line at info@themysteryvinylco.com and we will sort it out. We hand clean and individually assess every single record before it leaves our hands. If we ever get it wrong, we make it right.

That is not a policy. It is just how we operate.