LED ZEPPELIN. CODA. GATEFOLD. SWAN SONG. 90051-1. 1982. FIRST US PRESSING.

$

20

LED ZEPPELIN. CODA. GATEFOLD. SWAN SONG. 90051-1. 1982. FIRST US PRESSING. THE RECORD WITH VERY LIGHT SCUFFS PLAY IN EX CONDITION. THE  COVER HAS A SLIGHT DISCOLORATION ON THE FRONT TOP, AND SOME WEAR MARKS ON THE BACK IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.

VG++ (“Excellent”)  -- A good description of a VG++ record is it looks like it has minimal to no wear, no scratches but some very slight signs of use.

Cover: A VG++ cover is typically free of creases and ring wear and will not have seam splits of any kind. Check photos for signs of wear.

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!

Very Good Plus (VG+)
A VG+ record may show some slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches or pops that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playing has not mis-shaped the hole. There may be some very light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable.

Cover: VG+ covers have minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (less than one inch long) at the bottom or top, the most vulnerable locations. Also, a VG+ cover may have some defacing, such as a cut-out marking or a name written on it.

Very Good (VG)

Many of the imperfections found on a VG+ record are more obvious on a VG record. That said, VG records are among the biggest bargains in record collecting, because most of the “big money” goes for more perfect copies. For many listeners, a VG record or sleeve will be worth the money.

VG records have more obvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most of the original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VG record has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages and during a song’s intro and ending. But the noise will not overpower the music otherwise.

Cover: VG covers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside. More creases visible and seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides. Someone might have written on it or stamped a price tag on it, too.

Fair

The record has significant surface noise and groove wear, label is worn, with significant ring wear, heavy writing, or obvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tape or stickers and failing miserably. A Fair cover has ring wear to the point of distraction, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing, such as, for example, huge radio station letters written across the front to deter theft or water damage.