A long time ago (starting in late 1976), when Goldmine Record Collectors Magazine was a huge, monthly print publication, I began buying from sellers of rare and collectable LP’s. And remember, the LP was at that time the main format (almost the only one), and they were plentiful. Certain LP’s were already hard to find, of course, but luckily my musical tastes were out of the mainstream, so the titles I was looking for were not too expensive.
But finding LP’s in what I considered no less than Mint Minus condition proved to be elusive. I soon learned my grading standards were far higher than that of most sellers. Little-by-little I found dealers whose grading was accurate and consistent, and bought only from them. Things are far worse now; every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks ALL LP’s are worth a small fortune, regardless of condition.
The local record store I frequented when I lived in Portland Oregon in ’77-8 (they stocked UK 45’s and LP’s, hot at the time), and am doing so again since my move back, was playing a US copy of The Kinks Village Green LP when I was in the shop a month-or-so back, and I went over to have a look. It was in maybe VG- condition, and they were not only playing the LP on a cheap turntable/arm/cartridge, they had a price of $60 on it! I already have the LP (and CD) of course, but if I didn’t I sure wouldn’t have paid 60 bucks for theirs. That is NOT a rare LP, and in that condition is not worth anywhere close to that price.