Tilt the record under a light: the etching in the smooth ring between the last groove and the label (e.g. XSV 123456-1A). Or grab the catalog # off the spine, or the barcode.
Spaces and dashes don’t matter. Etchings vary copy to copy — if the exact string misses, the lookup matches the stable prefix and shows candidates.
One tap copies artist + album for Discogs/eBay. Then run the grading checklist below before you list or file it.
Moving a record collection along? LPs, 45s and 78s, sleeves or no sleeves, go in my covered 24/7 drop box on Edith Blvd NE, any condition. Crates too heavy to lift? Text 505-250-3804 for free pickup across the Albuquerque metro, or come by 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a hand unloading.
Visual grading checklist (Goldmine-style)
Check everything that applies — the suggested grade updates as you go. Honest limit: this is visual grading; a play-test can only lower the grade, never raise it. Grade the record and the jacket separately, always.
The record
The jacket / sleeve
Scale: M (sealed/untouched — use sparingly) > NM > VG+ > VG > G+/G > F/P. Most played-but-cared-for records land VG+ or VG. When in doubt, grade DOWN — buyers reward conservative graders.
How to read the deadwax
The matrix/runout is the hand-etched or stamped string in the smooth band between the last groove and the label. Tilt the record under a strong light and rotate it slowly — read both sides (they differ). The first block is usually the label’s master number; letters after a dash (like -1A, -RE1) are stamper/mother marks that vary between copies and often separate an original pressing from a later one. Type the whole string here; if your exact copy’s suffix isn’t on file, the tool matches the stable prefix and shows candidates.
Mono, stereo, and “first pressing” — the honest version
- Mono vs stereo (1957–1968): both existed side by side; the jacket and label say which you hold (“STEREO” banners, catalog prefixes like Columbia’s CL = mono / CS = stereo). Neither is automatically “the first” — for most titles they were simultaneous, and which one collectors chase varies title by title.
- First pressing is a bundle of evidence, not one mark: the right label design for the era (deep groove, logo style, address ring), the right catalog number, the right deadwax, the right jacket printing. This tool gets you to the right release fast; confirming an original pressing means matching your copy’s details against the release’s documented variants on Discogs — the result cards link you straight there.
- Reissues aren’t failures. Most records that pass through a donation operation are common reissues, and that’s fine — identify honestly, grade conservatively, list accurately.
Why grading conservative wins
The checklist above follows the Goldmine standard the hobby actually uses. Two rules from years of selling: grade the record and the jacket separately (buyers assume the worse of the two if you don’t), and when you’re between grades, take the lower one — returns and bad feedback cost more than the difference. Visual grading has a ceiling: a play-test can only demote a record, so “NM (visual)” is the honest phrasing for anything you haven’t played.
This is an identification and grading aid, not an appraisal — it never tells you what a record is worth. Sister tools: CD Number Lookup and the LCCN Lookup for pre-ISBN books, all on the tools hub.
Questions
What is the matrix/runout (deadwax)?
The etched or stamped characters in the smooth band between the last groove and the label. It identifies the lacquer/master and often the pressing plant and stamper — the single most useful identifier on a record with no jacket.
My etching has extra letters that don't match — why?
Stamper and mother marks (like -1A, -1B) vary from copy to copy of the same release. Type the whole string; the tool falls back to matching the stable prefix and shows you the candidate releases.
Does the tool tell me if I have a first pressing?
It gets you to the right release and links the Discogs page where pressing variants are documented. 'First pressing' is confirmed by matching several details — label design, catalog number, deadwax, jacket — not any single field.
Does it value my records?
No. Identification and grading guidance only — never prices or appraisals.