Recordz
What does VG+ mean in record grading?
VG+ (Very Good Plus) is the third grade on the Goldmine scale, below Mint and Near Mint. A VG+ record shows light signs of play and handling, such as faint scuffs or very light scratches, but those flaws are cosmetic and should not affect playback. Goldmine sums it up as a record that, except for a couple of minor things, would be Near Mint.
The Goldmine scale at a glance
The Goldmine standard, published by the US collectors' magazine of the same name, is the scale Discogs uses for its marketplace. The value column is Discogs' rough guidance relative to a Near Mint copy.
| Grade | Vinyl in short | Typical value vs NM |
|---|---|---|
| Mint (M) | Perfect, unplayed | Negotiated |
| Near Mint (NM or M-) | Nearly perfect, no audible flaws | Baseline |
| Very Good Plus (VG+) | Light cosmetic wear, plays cleanly | About 50% |
| Very Good (VG) | Audible surface noise, light scratches | About 25% |
| Good Plus (G+) / Good (G) | Plays through, significant noise | 10-15% |
| Fair (F) / Poor (P) | Cracked, badly warped or skips | 0-5% |
What each grade means for the vinyl
Mint should be used sparingly, if at all. Goldmine says it should only be used when more than one person agrees, and Discogs notes that a sealed record is not automatically Mint.
Near Mint looks like it just came from the shop. It is glossy, with no marks on the label, no spindle marks and no surface noise. Goldmine says a Near Mint record doesn't have to be unplayed if it was played on good equipment and cared for.
VG+ may have light scuffs, very light scratches, slight warps that don't affect the sound, and barely noticeable ring wear on the label. In theory, Discogs says, it should sound the same as Near Mint.
VG has lost most of its gloss. Groove wear is visible, light scratches can be felt with a fingernail, and surface noise is audible in quiet passages, intros and fades without overpowering the music.
G+ and G records play through without skipping but with significant noise and wear. Fair and Poor records are cracked, badly warped, or skip and repeat.
What each grade means for the sleeve
The cover follows the same scale. A Near Mint cover has no creases, ring wear, seam splits or cut-out marks. A VG+ cover may have minor seam wear, a split under an inch long at the bottom, or a cut-out hole or corner. VG covers show obvious handling: ring wear, creases, writing or a price stamp. By Good, ring wear is distracting and seam splits are obvious. A Poor cover barely holds the record. On Discogs, the sleeve can also be listed as Generic, Not Graded or No Cover.
Why vinyl and sleeve get separate grades
The record and the jacket wear differently, so sellers grade each one. A listing such as "VG+/VG" gives both grades, but sellers don't all put them in the same order, so check which is which. On Discogs they're separate fields, labelled Media Condition and Sleeve Condition. Goldmine's own price guides use a single grade and suggest averaging the two values for a mixed-grade LP.
Where graders disagree
Grading is a judgment call, and the standards themselves differ on details. Goldmine excludes spindle marks from Near Mint and says that at VG+ handling marks around the center hole are fine as long as the hole isn't misshapen; Discogs simply says spindle marks may be present at VG+. Goldmine treats Good, Good Plus and VG- as one band. And in the UK, many dealers use Record Collector magazine's scale, where Excellent (EX) is roughly equivalent to VG+, and a UK "VG" can mean a more worn record than a Goldmine VG.
Marketplace price data blends sales across grades, so a release's median price may not reflect what a VG+ copy fetches. The same applies to any collection value estimate, including the one in Recordz.
VG+ grading FAQ
Is VG+ good enough to play?
Yes. Goldmine says most collectors who play their records will be happy with VG+, and Discogs describes it as playing perfectly apart from minor cosmetic wear.
Is VG+ the same as Excellent?
Roughly. Goldmine lists Excellent (E) as another name for VG+, and the UK Record Collector scale uses Excellent for a similar condition. Collectors on the Steve Hoffman forums report that a UK seller's Excellent can be more worn than a Goldmine VG+, so ask which scale the seller uses.
Is VG++ an official grade?
No. Goldmine mentions that records at the high end of VG+ are sometimes called VG++ or E+, but neither Goldmine nor Discogs lists it as a separate grade.
Can a sealed record be graded Mint?
Not automatically. Discogs states that an item can be sealed and not Mint, and Goldmine warns that sealed records may have been resealed, may not be the original pressing, or may even contain the wrong record.
What grade is a record with a scratch I can feel?
Usually VG or lower. Both Goldmine and Discogs describe light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail as a VG trait, and whether it is audible decides how far below that the record falls.
Last updated September 30, 2026.
Sources: Goldmine, Record Grading 101; Discogs, How To Grade Items; Discogs, How to Grade Items (selling guide); Record Collector, grading system; Steve Hoffman Music Forums, UK vs Goldmine grading.
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