Grading records.

The best thing to do when grading records is to describe the condition as best you can.
Even a sealed record can have cover wear.
So in a case like this you need to tell them if the Lp is minty with only a cutout hole.
If you cannot take a photo of it, is it a bb size hole?
You could also say LP is Sealed and mint except for a cut out hole let your customer know exactly what they are getting, no surprises. Mint -, Excelent+, excelent,VG+++.
all mean the same thing. An accurate description that goes along with that Grade is a must. Sleeve/lp

You can grade jacket as not mint. or Mint- with comments on cut-out.
You needn't grade the sealed record.
I had an exception when I got the record from the sealed jacket with scratches and was greatly pissed with large question mark on my face when I came back to the counter but they let me exchange for the good one in such odddd case...

But if you break the seal, then you cannot any longer call it mint. I thought the "Goldmine" definition of mint is unplayed/unopened. It then becomes excellent, or for some people mint-.

Well, sealed says it all. You cannot say mint without examining/playing the disc and that requires breaking the seal.