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Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Grading Tutorial


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ENTERTAINMENT & MUSIC POSTER GRADING SYSTEM
M MINT: Untouched, pristine. VG VERY GOOD: Noticeable minor defects. No major damage, especially in image area. Folds, paper missing but not major.
NM NEAR MINT: Slight handling, sharp corners, crisp. VG- VERY GOOD MINUS: Noticeable damage extending into image area; ash as tears, holes, tape stain, noticeable fading, paper missing, but images still intact.
NM- NEAR MINT MINUS: Slight handling, corners slightly rounded, no folds, no tears, no pin holes, no tape stains or major creases. GD GOOD: Noticeable damage, holes, tears, missing pieces possibly extending into image area, stains, etc.: borderline, unless it's a rare item.
VG+ VERY GOOD PLUS: Image area is undamaged and poster is whole. Minor fold or tack holes, no major tears.  


VINYL 12", 10", and 7" RECORDS GRADING SCALE
MT 10 MINT 10: Vinyl has no imperfections. Vinyl gloss is 100% overall. Label has no wear or noticeable imperfections. Label is bright all original color.
NM 9 MINT 9: Vinyl has no significant imperfections. Vinyl gloss is full. No label wear or imperfections. Label should display full original color, but may have a spindle mark or two.
NM 8 NEAR MINT 8: Vinyl has a few minor imperfections. Vinyl gloss nearly full. Label wear (if any) should be barely detectable. May have a few minor label imperfections. Label should display full, original color, although it my be somewhat subdued. Record should pay without surface noise.
EX 7 EXCELLENT to VERY GOOD PLUS: Vinyl has a few noticeable imperfections. Vinyl should display some gloss. May have slight label wear, some label imperfections, and/or slight fading of label color. Record may play with some slight surface noise.
VG-EX 6 VERY GOOD PLUS: Vinyl has noticeable, but not major imperfections. May display some original gloss. Label can show some wear, but cannot have large areas of wear. Can have some noticeable label imperfections. Record may play with some slight surface noise.
VG 5 VERY GOOD: Vinyl has several moderate and/or one or two major flaws. Vinyl gloss may not evident. Label may show wear along with, several moderate and/or one or two major imperfections, such as writing, tears, stains, etc. Record may play with some surface noise.
GD-VG 4 GOOD to VERY GOOD: Vinyl has some major imperfections. Label may be very worn and have some major imperfections along with fading and discoloration. Record will play with some surface noise but no skips.
GD 3 GOOD: Vinyl has major scratches. Label may be well worn and some of the lettering or label design may be worn away. Record will play through, but may skipping and be rather noisy.

45, EP, ALBUM PICTURE SLEEVE GRADING SCALE
MT 10 MINT 10: Cover is brand new and is virtually perfect with no noticeable manufacturing defects.
NM 9 MINT 9: Cover will be fresh, clear, and sharp. No discoloration or fading. May exhibit some very minor printing/manufacturing or storage flaws. May have one or two unobtrusive creases about the periphery.
NM 8 NEAR MINT 8: Cover will be clear and sharp. No detectable ring wear will be present. Corners should be relatively sharp. May exhibit some very minor bending or creasing. White areas may show some very slight mellowing. Other miniscule defects may be present by nothing distracting.
EX 7 EXCELLENT to VERY GOOD PLUS: Cover may show some slight ring wear. Can show some creasing and bending, but nothing excessive. Sleeve will be free of any but the most minute, nearly undetectable tears. May show some age mellowing of the white and colored areas.
VG-EX 6 VERY GOOD PLUS: Cover will show ring wear but nothing major. Bending and creasing will be more prominent. There may be some fraying at the corners. Some minor tears especially at the opening may be present. May have some very minor staining or slight discoloration. Can have some pin holes.
VG 5 VERY GOOD: Cover may show heavy ring wear and scuffing. May exhibit serious wrinkling and creasing. Corners may be frayed and/or torn. There may be other tears but nothing serious enough to compromise the structural integrity of the sleeve. There may be writing, non-major tears, stains, or other abuses.
GD-VG 4 GOOD to VERY GOOD: Cover may show serious ring wear and scuffing. Fraying and tears more serious. Writing, discoloring, and staining major but not defacing. Corners may be very frayed and rounded.
GD 3 GOOD: Cover may show major wear and tears. Writing, discoloring, staining short of total defacement. Corners may be gone. Structural integrity may be compromised.
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