You used to see one or two things that said "MINT" condition, You new if it was over a month old that wasn't possible...Now I see Dynaco amps that are 40-50 years old, that say "MINT"...I don't think that I ever bought anything new or used that was mint....Do people know what it means ????
Cherry, now that's a good word. The Dictionary said... noun: a plant where money is coined by authority of the government. noun: a candy that is flavored with a mint oil. noun: the leaves of a mint plant used fresh or candied. The adj. meaning "perfect" (like a freshly minted coin)
Mint condition: A colloquial term for a vehicle that has been kept in, or restored to, perfect condition. Also called "cherry condition." Mint Condition A house or anything that is as close to new as possible.
IMHO I take MINT to mean a USED item that is virtually indistinguishable from new and INCLUDES the original box, paperwork, and all of the "bits" that would ordinarily be received by the buyer if it were new. I see all to many items advertized as mint without the above description. . .it is simply misleading to the buyer. Items that are virtually indistinguishable from new without the box, papers, etc. should be labeled as 9/10, much as the seller might wish to disagree.
I laugh when I see "minty", too. I think this term has been borrowed from coin collectors. When they say a coin is in mint condition, they mean it quite literally, as if it just came from the mint that made it (as alluded to above). The other grading trend that drives me nuts is "I graded it 7/10, but really more like 10/10". So what are we to believe? If we buy basesd on his assertion it's really 10/10, and complain, he can say he only gave it a 7/10? If you say it's really 10/10, and it isn't, you've still misrepresented the product, even if you graded it worse on the "official" grade. At least explain the diffenrece (i.e. "technically it recieved a 7/10 because if this particular scrartch, but with the platter mat in place, it doesn't show" or some such)
I have a customer who refers to cars he is buying or selling as "triple mint". I guess that means they are three times better than mint. Or mint, mint, mint. Really, its mint. Honest. I kid you not. Cracks me up.
If you were talking vinyl records as apposed to Hifi gear Goldmine defines mint in this way...
GOLDMINE RECORD GRADING STANDARD
"How to grade. Look at everything about a record -- its playing surface, its label, its edges -- under a strong light. Then, based on your overall impression, give it a grade based on the following criteria:
Mint (M): Absolutely perfect in every way -- certainly never played, possibly even still sealed. (More on still sealed under "Other considerations.") Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all."
If people used that standard on Hifi gear I dare say few things would be said to be mint and that even includes new stuff. It's to bad sellers spectacles work different than buyers spectacles. In my opinion as a long time vinyl buyer "mint" is not a point of view. Cheers!
If you're gonna use the term, ya better mean it. That means every surface (wood, metal) knob, screw, nut etc. should appear new or like new. I've seen a lot of *claimed mint* items (cars also) that were a pathetic joke, didn't take much of a close eye to see the obvious. So yeah, the term *mint* can be over-used-abused. How bout *perfect* ??!!
Gold mine is out of date.Not suire if it was "good rockin' tonight" or other site added "Excellent" and "Excellent plus.Oroiginal Goldmine went P+poor almost not playable just to say you have it.2)Good-basically trased LP with lot's of scratches making it unbearabe to enjoy listening.Could have sticks or not.Covers comp[letey split with tears.3)VG-means it is very noisy but plays without sticks covers have bad ring ware or are split on one or more sides3\4)VG+.Most subejective and problematic grade especailly with introduction of Exceellent grade which brings dopwn VG+ and VG++.Covers have splits in seems or may have one side copletely split.Some like myself think of VG+ as prety noisy but not so scratched it'stoataly vovered with them or white from thousands (?) of plays.5)VG++ you think this is pretty good and is newly added to roiginal Goldmies original scheme.Some background carckle (light) in soft passages but should be masked when muisc is complex,and louder.Some who grade VG++ are expecting NM- or the ecexcellent grades.It depends on how picky they are.6)Excellent.This as I understand it was to diferentiate VG++ that was stong and NM-.I think this was confusing and bad decision.If anything the grade between VG+ ands VG++ is most problematic where most arguments after delivery come from.With VG++ no discernable ring wear and maybe a 2 or 3" split still applies.Excllent plus is where it looks super clean.Plays with at most ocassional tick or has scratches like VG_++ that canb't be felt but with Excellent and EXC+ you should have such soft spindlke drags as opposed to needle drags that when played you don't hear them.Maybe a tick or two from vinyl left in groove from pressing but not anything lud or rep.NM- is really same as NM-.Looks like it could be unplayed or maybe once or twice not that you would nmotice.Mint.Out of the delivery box from distributor.Some folks saythat even with a sealed LP if the cover is thin and shows raused area where LP has made impression knocks it down to NM-.Again it's supposed to be obejective and in broad terms it is but in real world it is subjective.Once af\again since VG is not an LP you want to pull out and play\ for pleasure and some LP's that should be VG gte a VG+ rating where there is some noise but it's not too bad I think this exxcelklent appliation is in wrong place.Lower grading needed extra refinement and distinguishablity rather than LP's in great shape.You just know if you get and Excellent LP it should be damn fine.Anybody want to critique this either in Goldmine publishing terms (adding of VG++/EXc/EXC+) or to refine my termsand tell me I am off base.Again one mans treasure is another trash but how we grade such treasure and trash shjould be reliable especially since collectable grade recods have gone through roof.I find that for VG++ and above prices have in past 18-24 months doubled or trippled driven mostly by new Ebay member who have joined in poast 3 years or less and have more cash than sense or experience.Bad thing is I cannmot afford tyo get some stuff I thought I could while prices were stable with a slow increase from wehn I joined in '98 to a new world where the qaulity of old pressings or their rarity has made new commers drive up prices so insanely on ebay.Now you are beter off at shows and stores though they monitor prices and tthey have goine up but without "irrational exuberance" to borrow a term from Greenspan.Only god side is I got in early enough (9 years ago) to get a lot ands of 3 to 4 thousand Lp's smany at $20 but some in the hundreds my collections is worth thousands if not ten tthousand plus beyond what it was.CD's now sound beter and I am geting the ones that I can (and theirs a problem it's slow and some may never turn up) but glad to get to hear great muisc for $25 as opposed to spend $800 when it went for $200 thre years ago.Thank G-d for Classic Records and others pressing good re-issues and boo hoo that CVuscuna has gone all CD at Mosaioc (unlkess it's Miles anmd Columbia wants to sell all the CD's).Just like stock and real estate who knew.Glad folks are gicing jazz from swing era dn beyond respecty an appreciation it deserves but would have likd a few more years to pick up 1500 series Blue Notes that went like the Prestige Miles for $70 to $125 aand now are rediculous $300 and $200 Lp's are now $700.I wish I had completed those and just been happy to get Japan re-issues for some I missed.Put a post up like th myself ("Is record collecting dead?") and was called everything from a whiner to a commie so I guess A'gon is a lot more patrician tha I thought,But as usual I digress.Anyboidy comment on my grading observations which I know are not perfect (as is their apllication.Comments? chazzbno
Both Goldmine and the Webster's Dictionary have been around longer than many of the current day record collectors. I highly recommend both, and if that is not "up to date" enough for anyone at the very least spell check should work wonders. Happy Listening!
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