Minty Condition

[cameramanic]

When I see Items on this forum and eeeeeeeebay described as in
Minty condition .
I smile to myself.Mint condition is AS New.

Minty condition is in :British Merchant Navy Speak: someone or something that is
in very very Dirty.

Dennis

 

[peter_n]

Dennis I didn't know that slang use of the word. Do you happen to know it's derivation?

Minty as an adjective has come up on several forums. The general complaint is that well, a lens/camera is either mint (i.e. in absolute new condition) or it is not mint.

 

[cameramanic]

Hi Peter,
I dont Know the how the word description came about,
I have been working on ships for 35 years, and there are alot of slang words used that are not used by people who work ashore.
Regards
Dennis

 

[kiev4a]

Minty: "Used to describe a camera offered by an ebay seller. The term has different meaning to different sellers. To some, it means a camera that has hardly be touched by human hands in 40 years. To others it means a camera that probably hasn't been dropped in salt water (or if it has, it was rinsed off under the tap). The definition is often prefaced by the phrase 'I don't kbow anything about old cameras, but ..... '"