pico Posted February 9, 2015 Share #1 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Perusing auctions and sales I see some impressionistic claims of 'mint' condition cameras. Fortunately most of them do not sell. I am wondering if there is a consensus as to what 'mint' really means. Â For example, looking at black enamel (or paint or lacquer) film M bodies the most evident sign of use is the rewind lock lever. If shows any wear whatsoever it cannot be mint, can it? Â To me mint means still in the original box, unopened, never used. Am I overly strident? Â Â (My mate has a good sense of humor and we have discussed auctioning a "Mint mint in mint mint wrapper.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 Hi pico, Take a look here What is Mint?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Herr Barnack Posted February 9, 2015 Share #2 Â Posted February 9, 2015 IMHO, mint means "pre-owned, but looks like a new camera sitting in a showcase at a Leica dealer." In other words, there are precious few true mint condition pre-owned cameras on the secondary market. Many pre-owned M cameras that are allegedly mint are more like "mint minus," "mint minus minus" or "you have got to be forking kidding me." Â My M4-P was a true mint condition used camera. Its box was not, however. I don't care much about the box, though - I will gladly accept a flawed box to get a mint camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted February 9, 2015 Share #3  Posted February 9, 2015 Any good reseller will provide definitions for their ratings (and of course execute accordingly).  As only one example, Tamarkin defines 'mint' as "Like new, no signs of use or wear", and 'near mint' as "only one or two insignificant signs of use".  Over time, through customer experience and comments, one can usually determine whether sellers are accurate, even conservative, in their ratings…or not.  Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manoleica Posted February 9, 2015 Share #4 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Mint = as per unboxed for the very first time.. A trophy item stored/displayed but never used. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share #5 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Mint = as per unboxed for the very first time..A trophy item stored/displayed but never used. Â A priestly status item? Never hardly used? . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik Posted February 9, 2015 Share #6  Posted February 9, 2015 Do not take these explanations (taken from an old post from Robert Monaghan) too serious but be prepared:  New, in the box: almost new, with a box New: almost new without a box As new: used, but sold 'as new' Like new: used, but not engraved Mint: not heavily used or engraved Ex+++: not heavily used, may be engraved Ex+: heavily used and engraved Ex: still recognizable as a camera Ex-: no longer recognizable as a camera Very good: may not be a camera     Brassing: worn out Ding: bashed repeatedly Cleaning marks: any scratch, gouge, or chip in the lens Fungus: mushrooms growing between elements Hazy, foggy, etc.: lens cleaned with steel wool and abrasives Inop: badly broken Sluggish: something moves, but not in useful manner   Ulrik Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted February 9, 2015 Share #7 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) My mint definitiom was basically the same as Pico's....I inherited it from my days long ago of coin collecting, where mint was very carefully defined...never touched after production and initial packaging....usually also meant that the original packaging had never been opened. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted February 9, 2015 Share #8 Â Posted February 9, 2015 No Pico, I agree with you. For advertising purposes though I would accept unmarked, probably unused, ideally complete original packaging. Â Mint is a most abused word on eBay. I've been looking at some Contax compacts primarily sold out of Japan and everything is mint even when there are clear markings often identified and circled by the vendors! Perhaps something is lost in the translation. I find it to be a useless term when used in such advertisements. Â The word that really cracks me up is 'minty'. What on earth does that mean because it sure isn't used to describe toothpaste . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share #9 Â Posted February 9, 2015 The word that really cracks me up is 'minty'. What on earth does that mean because it sure isn't used to describe toothpaste . Â The word confuses me so much that sometimes when staying at a good hotel, I expect to find my bed freshly made with a Leica on the pillow. Â Thanks for the help, everyone. Â ...and what ever became of Robert Monaghan? Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted February 9, 2015 Share #10  Posted February 9, 2015 The word confuses me so much that sometimes when staying at a good hotel, I expect to find my bed freshly made with a Leica on the pillow. Thanks for the help, everyone.  ...and what ever became of Robert Monaghan?   I'll need the name of that hotel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share #11 Â Posted February 9, 2015 I'll need the name of that hotel. Â Raffles Singapore. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted February 9, 2015 Share #12 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Mint is mint. Simple. Used or pre owned but in as new condition. No marks, no scuff, no dirt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted February 9, 2015 Share #13 Â Posted February 9, 2015 If I was to buy a 'mint' item I would expect it to look and work as though it was new and be in its original box, itself in similar condition. I can't actually remember buying anything in truly 'mint' condition ..... [And FWIW my equipment will never be in 'mint' condition either]. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted February 9, 2015 Share #14 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Frankly, if I relied on any of the definitions given above for a s/h deal, I would expect to be ripped off. On ebay I always ask the seller what they mean by such a term. On a dealers site I look for an explanation, which most of them provide. If they don't, again I will ask. Why rely unquestioningly on the seller's view? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share #15 Â Posted February 9, 2015 Mint is mint. Simple.Used or pre owned but in as new condition. No marks, no scuff, no dirt. Â I understand, and I hope that someone who sells a 57 year-old never used Leica understands that the mechanics might be a bit sticky. That's not like new. OTH, such a buyer is unlikely to use it anyway. Â I'm looking at a black M2 hoping I can sell my M4. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 9, 2015 Share #16  Posted February 9, 2015 Perusing auctions and sales I see some impressionistic claims of 'mint' condition cameras. Fortunately most of them do not sell. I am wondering if there is a consensus as to what 'mint' really means. For example, looking at black enamel (or paint or lacquer) film M bodies the most evident sign of use is the rewind lock lever. If shows any wear whatsoever it cannot be mint, can it?  To me mint means still in the original box, unopened, never used. Am I overly strident?   (My mate has a good sense of humor and we have discussed auctioning a "Mint mint in mint mint wrapper.)  It is very simple Mint is a synonym of overpriced. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 10, 2015 Share #17 Â Posted February 10, 2015 Why doesn't mint rhyme with pint? Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted February 10, 2015 Share #18  Posted February 10, 2015 Why doesn't mint rhyme with pint? Pete.  Thank the English for that. I think they did this language just to piss off the rest of the world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share #19  Posted February 10, 2015 Why doesn't mint rhyme with pint? Pete.  Because nothing rhymes with pint? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manoleica Posted February 10, 2015 Share #20 Â Posted February 10, 2015 Because nothing rhymes with pint? Â Try "Bint" UK slang for girl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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