Most all of the collector price guides give a price and leave you hanging unless you read the detail in the front of the book. A radio should be graded on it being complete and original; (the cabinet condition and chassis condition). This is a very simple method of how I grade a radio.

MINT: a term rarely if ever used by me, it means; just like it came out of the box new or it's still in it's original box and unused!

NEAR MINT: It's almost like like; may have been used or removed from it's original box but no damage or significant blems. It may show some very minor wear and it's all original.

EXCELLENT: It looks great, very clean, may have some minor flaws or may have been restored or repaired.

VERY GOOD: A step down from excellent, will have some noticeable flaws.

GOOD: Will have some flaws but displays well. On a close examination, it may not look so well.

FAIR: Has some damage, cabinet and/or chassis may be dirty, such as loose veneer, rust etc.

POOR: much worse than fair.

Along with the above grading I would include information as to how the item got to meet that grade, such as, I restored it, it's all original or it's as-found. I may also use an in-between grade such as GOOD + or NEAR MINT -. Of course, it's impossible to always be right on with everyone, what might be really good to me may be near mint to someone else. I have always been very conservative in my descriptions and have not had any complaints over the years that I have been buying and selling radios that something was less than I described it. I have had a lot of comments that stated it was better than described.

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Date your radio