Because most of the stock I dispatch to you lovely people is second hand, vintage, out-of-print and generally a little bit “used”. Some are New of course, but these will be marked as such, and due to the nature of grading books it is a little bit difficult to say in black and white terms, so I try to elaborate on the exact damage to each volume in detail in the descriptions. So anyway, without further ado here are some examples that I think show a reasonable average of the grade I am trying to show…
Images should be able to be clicked on to zoom/view full-screen, a descriptor is listed below each image.
New
Brand New item, no defects to speak of. Also referred to as Mint condition. I will very rarely use this descriptor even if the item is factory wrapped, because the item will always be reduced from mint condition if handled.
Near Mint/Grand
As close to mint condition as possible – mint condition is Brand New & Sealed, some manufactured copies have defects and are not considered Mint. Some New copies will be considered “Near Mint”. (I will likely never use this descriptor)
Very Fine/Greater
Almost pristine in all aspects, with few minor defects.
Fine/Great
A mostly flawless copy, with very little aesthetic wear, no functional damage. Very light marking etc.
Very Good
A slightly above average wear, anything from slight wear to small markings, usually aesthetic damage, only very minor functional defects. Further details always included in the description.
Good
An average wear, graded to be similar to “Very Good” as most others put it, some moderate scratching, abrasion, corner wear, pen/pencil markings, but are limited.
Fair
Won’t be the best, but is somewhere between Acceptable and Good condition, damage includes moderate scratching, abrasion, corner wear, pen/pencil markings etc.
Worn
Poor condition, has functional damage or large quantities of aesthetic wear. Also Sometimes referred to by me as a “Play” copy – meaning it is more for use than for collection.
Shrink Wrapping
This is an additional modifier and not considered in the grading of the book, I will mark all books that are wrapped as shrink wrapped, this is strictly original factory wrapping. Some wear markers are labelled, but additional details should be found in the description.
Further details always included in the description.
Please read it carefully – I think these images show a likeness for the description they are attached to but not all are perfect.
I have based my grading loosely upon the guys over at Acaeum.com, so well done to them for creating such a wonderful resource.
