FreeVinyl grading explained: M to G
M / NM / VG+ … read the condition language behind every price.
Learn the craft
Read the room before you buy.
Grading, rarity, first pressings, care — collector know-how, free to read inside the app and right here.
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FreeFive signs your record is worth real money
Rarity, first pressings, condition — the five things that set a record's price.
FreeHow to spot a first pressing: 5 signs
Matrix codes, catalog numbers, logos — how dealers call a first pressing.
FreeVinyl care: make your records last decades
Handle, clean, sleeve, store, play — five steps to protect your collection.
FreeColored vinyl: why splatters and picture discs cost more
Limited runs, odd colors, picture discs — what really drives the premium.
FreeHow records get priced at auction
Condition, provenance, demand — how the hammer price is really set.
FreeWhen to replace your stylus
A worn needle quietly damages records — here's how to tell it's time.
FreeStore records right so they never warp
Upright, cool, sleeved — five habits that keep records flat and clean.
FreeVinyl Runout Codes Explained: Read the Matrix Number
Where to find a record's matrix number, what each segment of the runout code means, and how to transcribe it to tell one pressing from another.