On thrift store purchases, I probably reject 90% of wonderful albums because of condition. It's heartbreaking (not only because of my own disappointment but because someone who apparently inherited the original owner's collection used them as frisbees). That's the advantage of purchasing from a reputable record store--in most cases, the proprietor has experienced the disappointment in advance and either not put the record for sale or has indicated the condition.

You may know this, but look for scratches around the spindle hole. That usually means that while the original owner took good care of the album, they played it a lot on a turntable that stacked up the albums and thus added lots of noise.

Another bit of advice: when you purchase an album with the original shrink wrap, remove the wrap (and if desired add a separately purchased plastic cover). The shrink wrap can warp the record. And an additional additional bit of advice: don't let a record shop jack up the price excessively for a still-sealed copy. The only way you can be sure of the condition of a record is to inspect it. Still-sealed copies can (for example) be warped or contain pits from the pressing.

You should get a good copy of Tiger by the Tail eventually.