Two copies of the same album can be a long way apart in price, and almost none of the difference is the music.
What moves the number
Which pressing — original, reissue, regional, repress. The marks that identify it are on the label and etched in the run-out, not in the title.
Disc condition first, sleeve condition second. Grades are written disc/sleeve for a reason.
Completeness — inner sleeve, insert, poster.
Why two of the same differ
One seller tilted the disc into the light and played it. The other photographed it flat. A record shown flat is a record nobody has seen. How record condition is graded.
How to find out rather than guess
Identify the pressing from the label and run-out. Then compare completed sales of the same pressing at the same grade.
A near-mint original and a very good reissue are not comparables, and treating them as one is the usual way people arrive at a number that never materialises.
What a box of records is worth
Sorted, far more than unsorted. Common albums in played condition are lots; anything scarce comes out and runs on its own.
Questions people ask
Does a scratched record have value?
At a lower grade, yes. Say whether the mark is audible — that is what the grade is really about.
Is an old record automatically worth something?
No. Pressing and condition decide it, and most old records are common.
Should I clean before selling?
A proper clean usually helps. Say that you cleaned it and how.
More: pricing records, packing records.