The resurgent popularity of records has left the thrift stores a vinyl wasteland. I've given up looking for records at Goodwill. All you can find is beat-up religious albums from the 60's and the entire Ray Conniff catalog.
I usually stick to what's for sale at ZZZ Records. The vinyl at ZZZ are fairly priced. They also have a listening station so there aren't any surprises when you get home.
But then last week I got surprised at a thrift store. I was walking towards the paperback books when I spotted Boston's first album in my peripheral vision. That stopped me in my tracks. What's that doing there? It actually looks like decent LP. Behind Boston were Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Ray, Steve Earle, Donnie Iris, Prince, and several others. What are all you guys doing here?
Then I spotted these friends hiding in the bin.
I haven't seen a Beatles album in a thrift store in years. Finding Meet the Beatles made me feel like I won the lottery, but I know I didn't. This record is far from mint. The spine is blown out, and the vinyl is visibly scratched. But I cleaned it, and now it sounds pretty good.
The Beatles are still wildly popular. Their records are always worth something. But you have to remember that The Beatles sold A LOT of records.
I've read that overestimating the value of a Beatles record is a rookie mistake that many customers make when they try to sell their records to a record store.
If you want to know your record's approximate worth, then you need to honestly grade it first.
According to Goldmine magazine, the grades are:
M = Mint: It's perfect in every way - should only be used when describing brand new, unopened records and Mary Poppins. The term "mint" is pretty subjective, and I would stay away from it.
NM or N- = Near Mint: Looks like someone bought a new record, opened it to make sure it was in there, and then left it alone on the shelf. It may have been played once or twice.
VG+ = Very Good Plus: Played but not abused. No visible scratches on the vinyl, and the cover has few imperfections. This is a record you could proudly display and play to entertain friends. A slight warp is okay. This grade is what I shop for when buying records from online dealers.
VG = Very Good: You can see scuffs on the vinyl and hear some noise between songs and during soft moments. The cover might be repaired with tape, and a name could be written on it, and the corners could be bent. Not all of these imperfections will be present.
G+ or G = Good Plus or Good: Playable all the way through, but many of the above imperfections are present and/or multiplied. Cover can be water damaged and the seams split. It might not be able to hold the vinyl. I bought a "Good" 45 online before I understand this grading scale. I was pretty disappointed when I played it.
P or F = Poor or Fair: I'd keep this off the turntable and use it for decoration or arts and crafts.
You can see the scratches and scuffs on Meet the Beatles, and you can hear the pops between the songs. The pops don't overpower the music, so I'm going with VG.
Let's listen to how it sounds between songs.
The front and back of the cover look okay. You can see some ring wear and other typical damage. This isn't a show piece, but it would look cool in a frame.
It's too bad the spine has been slowly cut open over time by the record's sharp edge. This happens when the interior paper sleeve is damaged or lost.
I would grade the cover as G+ because of the split seam. Too bad there isn't a VG-.
Next it's time to check the Discogs website and use the record's serial number to search for this exact release. The upper right corner of the cover lists the serial number T 2047.
Then I look for records listed that have similar grades as my record. The seller wants $10 (plus $4 for shipping.)
BTW, if you are a seller and you are going to insult a previous owner, then please spell your insult correctly. Char, can you spot another grammatical error?
I have other Beatles records. This one is an entirely different story.
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