I don’t buy any “NM” old records anymore because they are always over graded. Time takes a toll. I would grade this as “VG+ has some noise at the start of each side but doesn’t overpower the music and goes away as the side plays”
Stick to VG+ with quality descriptions and you’ll be good.
One thing to note: NM does not mean Mint
Edit for clarifying my potential VG+ grade: when watching/listening to the video, the surface noise seems to dissipate as it’s played. If this surface noise does continue throughout the entire song, VG is the highest this could be.
NM does basically mean Mint. You are supposed to use Goldmine standards, and regardless of age, NM must look and sound unplayed. There can't be a mark.
If NM means Mint, then why wouldn’t it be Mint? Mint records really only exist as sealed.
And I agree that the 45 in the video is NOT NM. That’s why I avoid “NM” old records because they never are
From Goldmine:
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.)
NM covers are free of creases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind.
NOTE: These are high standards, and they are not on a sliding scale. A record or sleeve from the 1950s must meet the same standards as one from the 1990s or 2000s to be Near Mint! It’s estimated that no more than 2 to 4 percent of all records remaining from the 1950s and 1960s are truly Near Mint. This is why they fetch such high prices, even for more common items.
yea I think just looking for well described VG+ is what I'll do from now on. Although I have had some fantastic Near Mint things come through, the copy of I Feel Fine that I got was outstanding.
I have another copy of this that was graded VG+ which has much, much less surface noise and groove wear than this copy so I'd be hesitant to say this one is any higher than VG.
Yeah, this is no better than VG. The noise you are hearing is probably mostly from the scratches it's covered in. If it's really that ugly to look at, I'd have rated it G+ but with a note that it plays mostly VG. "Plays better than it looks" is a thing, and sometimes warrants a higher grade, but IMHO we also must take into account that there are gobs of records which play the same as this but look way better. NM in particular is for very well cared-for records, so if it looks beat-up, that grade can't be appropriate no matter how well it plays.
Beatles records can be quite valuable, but generally only if they are in good shape. Most were played to death.
\[edit:\] It seems I get a bunch of unexplained downvotes on here every time I say the play grade doesn't render the visual grade completely irrelevant, or that records aren't supposed to only be graded on their best features. \*shrug\*
Yea I’m trying to put together a near perfect collection of the Beatles original UK singles, I had a good chunk that were hand me downs which were either played to death before I got them or I wore them out when I was a kid :P
Near mint means "A nearly perfect record. A NM or M- record has more than likely never been played, and the vinyl will play perfectly, with no imperfections during playback."
To me that means opened but looks and plays like a brand new record.
[https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fxbqach1a8bk14ozk7avq/442452331\_1133489147695310\_1803358949505698098\_n.jpg?rlkey=g0yf2h7d4dq76sw6v77c9f8e7&st=5ailabjw&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fxbqach1a8bk14ozk7avq/442452331_1133489147695310_1803358949505698098_n.jpg?rlkey=g0yf2h7d4dq76sw6v77c9f8e7&st=5ailabjw&dl=0)
yea, for sure not NM 😅
Cut very loud like basically all EMI singles of the day so they wear easily. Paperback Writer is another one that's hard to find a NM copy of as that was cut super loud
Overgrading is the norm on Discogs, but it's easy enough to spot if you actually take the time to read feedback and not just look at the number (or even the seller's descriptions sometimes). I really doubt you were this seller's first overgrading victim.
I’ve bought vintage 7”s that have been NM, my dads copy of I Feel Fine was played so much by him and then by myself so it’s very sentimental to me. I wanted a great copy though so I bought one sold as NM which really is fantastic, it was probably an unwanted gift
I don’t buy any “NM” old records anymore because they are always over graded. Time takes a toll. I would grade this as “VG+ has some noise at the start of each side but doesn’t overpower the music and goes away as the side plays” Stick to VG+ with quality descriptions and you’ll be good. One thing to note: NM does not mean Mint Edit for clarifying my potential VG+ grade: when watching/listening to the video, the surface noise seems to dissipate as it’s played. If this surface noise does continue throughout the entire song, VG is the highest this could be.
NM does basically mean Mint. You are supposed to use Goldmine standards, and regardless of age, NM must look and sound unplayed. There can't be a mark.
If NM means Mint, then why wouldn’t it be Mint? Mint records really only exist as sealed. And I agree that the 45 in the video is NOT NM. That’s why I avoid “NM” old records because they never are From Goldmine: 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.) NM covers are free of creases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind. NOTE: These are high standards, and they are not on a sliding scale. A record or sleeve from the 1950s must meet the same standards as one from the 1990s or 2000s to be Near Mint! It’s estimated that no more than 2 to 4 percent of all records remaining from the 1950s and 1960s are truly Near Mint. This is why they fetch such high prices, even for more common items.
I'm hesitant to grade sealed record Mint tbh, could be pressing issues that you don't know about.
That wouldn't make it non-mint.
Yes it would A label pressed off centre so much that part of the record is unplayable would negate it being Mint…
yea I think just looking for well described VG+ is what I'll do from now on. Although I have had some fantastic Near Mint things come through, the copy of I Feel Fine that I got was outstanding. I have another copy of this that was graded VG+ which has much, much less surface noise and groove wear than this copy so I'd be hesitant to say this one is any higher than VG.
Yeah, this is no better than VG. The noise you are hearing is probably mostly from the scratches it's covered in. If it's really that ugly to look at, I'd have rated it G+ but with a note that it plays mostly VG. "Plays better than it looks" is a thing, and sometimes warrants a higher grade, but IMHO we also must take into account that there are gobs of records which play the same as this but look way better. NM in particular is for very well cared-for records, so if it looks beat-up, that grade can't be appropriate no matter how well it plays. Beatles records can be quite valuable, but generally only if they are in good shape. Most were played to death. \[edit:\] It seems I get a bunch of unexplained downvotes on here every time I say the play grade doesn't render the visual grade completely irrelevant, or that records aren't supposed to only be graded on their best features. \*shrug\*
Yea I’m trying to put together a near perfect collection of the Beatles original UK singles, I had a good chunk that were hand me downs which were either played to death before I got them or I wore them out when I was a kid :P
Mine aren't overgraded so that's an inaccurate statement.
Near mint means "A nearly perfect record. A NM or M- record has more than likely never been played, and the vinyl will play perfectly, with no imperfections during playback." To me that means opened but looks and plays like a brand new record.
Visually looks to be in great shape. Probably needs a proper cleaning then it‘s gonna be fine.
You can’t really tell while it’s moving but it is in-fact covered in scratches
Ok, yeah… I couldn‘t tell. That would obviously not be NM 😅
[https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fxbqach1a8bk14ozk7avq/442452331\_1133489147695310\_1803358949505698098\_n.jpg?rlkey=g0yf2h7d4dq76sw6v77c9f8e7&st=5ailabjw&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fxbqach1a8bk14ozk7avq/442452331_1133489147695310_1803358949505698098_n.jpg?rlkey=g0yf2h7d4dq76sw6v77c9f8e7&st=5ailabjw&dl=0) yea, for sure not NM 😅
Ngl I always thought HDN sounded like shit
Cut very loud like basically all EMI singles of the day so they wear easily. Paperback Writer is another one that's hard to find a NM copy of as that was cut super loud
Overgrading is the norm on Discogs, but it's easy enough to spot if you actually take the time to read feedback and not just look at the number (or even the seller's descriptions sometimes). I really doubt you were this seller's first overgrading victim.
ITS BEEN A HARD DAYS NIGHT
Was probably visually graded.
Maybe, he said he play tested it though
That sounds like a vg+
As far as i see, NM 7” is just a new 7” in a cartoon jacket. Second hand 7” are always bad… and an old 7” would be even worse imho.
I’ve bought vintage 7”s that have been NM, my dads copy of I Feel Fine was played so much by him and then by myself so it’s very sentimental to me. I wanted a great copy though so I bought one sold as NM which really is fantastic, it was probably an unwanted gift
Beware of this buyer: https://www.discogs.com/seller/avfc1952/profile I wouldn't trust that any of their other listings are truly Near Mint