FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Encapsulation in our patent pending case assures you and others that the record described on the label has not been tampered with in any way, providing assurance that the album is exactly as described. In addition, by being able to view both the sleeve and the vinyl record, you can further ensure that our grading is accurate.
The album is graded using VMG’s standard 10-point rubric, which is based on the Goldmine grading standards. This allows transparency and objectivity, with easy comparison between different albums.
If your submission does not include any cleaning services, please ship your submission via USPS to:
P.O. Box 2416, Westerly, RI 02891
If you would like to ship via a different carrier than USPS (ie., UPS or FedEx) please contact us at info@vmgvinyl.com.
If your submission includes cleaning services, please ship via USPS to:
P.O. Box 92, Funkstown, MD 21734
Again, if you would like to ship via a different carrier than USPS (ie., UPS or FedEx) please contact us at info@vmgvinyl.com.
In addition to the instructions on the FAQ, upon submitting your album for grading, instructions will also be provided as to the best way to safely ship your album.
PACKAGING INSTRUCTIONS:
First, if the album is open, remove the vinyl record from the sleeve and place the record sleeve in a clear plastic protective sleeve made for vinyl records. Then place the vinyl record into a generic inner sleeve and place it behind the record sleeve. In case there are printed inner sleeves, lyric sheets, posters, or any other items, they may be stored inside the record sleeve for safekeeping.
If the record is sealed, please place the sealed record into a clear protective sleeve to protect the shrink wrap.
Place the vinyl record between two 12"x 12" cardboard stiffeners then place in a record shipping carton. Seal the record shipping carton with packing tape and then place in a larger box with bubble wrap or other packaging such as foam "peanuts" or shipping paper to fill the empty space. Also include a printed copy of your order confirmation for our reference.
If you would prefer to order a shipping carton kit from VMG, you may do so for $15 during the submission process. In most situations, our shipping cartons can hold up to five records each. For shipping recommendations for larger orders, please contact us at info@vmgvinyl.com.
Media Mail is an inexpensive way to ship records. However, the USPS reserves the right to open any boxes that are shipped via Media Mail. As a result, shipping items via Media Mail incurs an increased risk of damage to your album. That damage is solely the responsibility of the customer, not VMG. To ensure your album arrives safely in our headquarters, we recommend you send your albums insured, via USPS priority, Fedex, or UPS. If you prefer to ship using a carrier other than USPS, please contact us at info@vmgvinyl.com.
We welcome the inclusion of bootlegs in our client's submissions, as they often feature unreleased material.
However, please note that we strictly do not accept counterfeits. Counterfeits refer to unofficial reprints of an artist's official discography and are typically released without the knowledge or authorization of the artist.
NFT stands for “Non-Fungible Token”.
“Fungible” refers to the ability to replace an item with something identical and of equal value. Dollar bills are fungible – your dollar bill and my dollar bill can be exchanged, and we both end up with the same value.
NFTs are “non-fungible”. They are a unique “token” that identifies the owner of an item, typically a digital item. This token encodes a “deed of ownership” that is unique to one specific item, encoding that ownership on the Ethereum blockchain.
NFTs provide a unique deed of ownership of items that are typically not tangible.
For example, a famous video can be easily seen by anyone on the internet, but who is the actual owner of that video? Well, the owner of the NFT corresponding to that video is the owner. While NFTs can also encode ownership of physical, tangible items, they are more commonly used as tokens of ownership of digital items.
A blockchain is a digital, decentralized ledger that acts as a database, digitally storing information.
A blockchain is public, allowing anyone to see the information located on it. Therefore, if you own an NFT of a digital item, anyone can see that you are the owner of that item by referring to the blockchain.
The blockchain is transparent, irreversible and uneditable, providing security and preventing fraud.
Vintage Media Grading (VMG) will authenticate, grade, and securely slab your album, providing it with its own unique serial number identifying it as the ONE physical album you own, with its specific condition and history. However, once slabbed, you can no longer listen to the album you love, with all the unique hisses and scratches that make it one of a kind.
To remedy this, VMG will make a digital copy of your album for you, using state of the art, high-tech equipment to ensure that every subtle crack and pop of your record is recorded exactly as it sounds when played on a turntable. Because your album – graded, slabbed and serial numbered – is truly unique, the digital audio of your album is unique. Only one album in the world will have the identity, grade, serial number, and specific sound that your album has!
In addition to you having access to the digital audio file of your album, VMG will also create an NFT unique to your album. That NFT will be transferred to your crypto wallet, showing you to be the owner of a unique, one-of-one audio file corresponding to your graded album. With this NFT in your wallet, you are the proven owner of a unique audio file! Congratulations!