Note: Condition is normally shown as __/__, i.e., F/F, denoting first book & then dust-jacket condition.

Very Fine or New – (VF or New)  A book in Very Fine condition is a book that is in the same condition as when it came off the press and has no noticeable flaws to the actual book or dust jacket. Most books you would find at a book store will not meet this level, because of the minor damage that occurred during shipping. Some book dealers require books that are individually wrapped in plastic to still be in the plastic wrap to receive this grade, while others consider the book New or Very Fine if it is complete and flawless. Some dealers will not use this term at all.

Fine – (F)  The condition should be almost "like new" with only very minor signs of use, no discernable wear or rubbing, no fading of the spine, no dog-eared page corners, with nothing missing.  If issued with a dust jacket, it must be separately described. If an older book, 19th century or earlier, slightly more signs of usage are tolerated, but still a well—cared—for, fresh looking book.  Very minor rubbing, a few specks of foxing (see Terms below or Glossary) , minor fading of cloth or color of boards may be acceptable, but certainly no cracked hinges. There must be no library markings; however there may be a bookplate from a private collector (generally found in older books).

A Fine book in a Fine dust jacket is often written as F/F. Fine means virtually flawless.  What flaws are present should be very minor and virtually unnoticeable, such as a few tiny nicks to a dust jacket. If a book is described as Fine, certain flaws must be mentioned. For example, the presence of a former owner signature or bookplate must be mentioned. Always keep in mind the basic standard — how does this book compare to the way it looked when it first came off the press? Fine basically means very close to a brand new look.  Fine books, especially when that condition is scarce for a particular title, will always carry a substantial premium in price. Even minor chipping (missing material) or wear can drop the price of an otherwise Fine book by as much as 15% to 20% and possibly more for modern first editions.

Very Good – (VG)  Very Good implies that the book is all-around in sound condition and collectible.  The book will have visible, but not serious flaws. A Very Good book may show some fading and/or staining to the covers, but no fraying of spine extremities, no cracked hinges, no foxing. If issued with a dust jacket, it must be separately described.  If 19th century or earlier, minor rubbing of extremities is expected, no chipping at the top or bottom of spine, no signs of major fraying of cloth, no cracked hinges or cracked joints, possibly minor spots of soil or stain and occasional foxing is expected.
A Very Good dust jacket will have some rubbing, some chipping and possibly some minor tears or small pieces missing.  It should still be substantially bright, clean, and complete, exhibiting just a little more evidence of use than a fine copy.  Some dealers will add a plus (+) or minus (-) to the Very Good description for book encompasses a wide range of possible flaws. A Very Good book should sell for about 30% to 50% less than a fine copy. 

Good – (G)  This term is bit of an oxymoron because for a collector a book in “Good” condition is not a good collectible.  A book in Good condition will show average wear and use but is not tattered or torn.  There may be some moderate staining but the book is still intact.  The extremities can show minor chipping, corners can all be bumped.  Earlier books may show moderate to heavy foxing.  Some collectors do keep Good condition books in their collection if the book is highly rare, or very expensive, or as simply a reading copy.  Collectors with limited budgets can collect Good copies and most “completist collectors” will retain Good condition volumes until such time as they can be replaced with VG or better copies.
Good condition copies have little resale value.  The difference in pricing between Fine and Good books is almost always substantial. A Fine book selling for $600 may sell for only $50 to $150 in Good condition.  Good copies can be a true bargain as they can usually be purchased cheaply and are a great source for reading copies but they have little or no value on the collectors market.

Fair or Poor – (Fair or P)  A book with much use and wear and multiple problems and/or defects. Except for the very rarest books or hard-to-find reference books for research, these condition levels are well below collector grade. These copies may exhibit moderate to excessive stain or foxing, highly damaged corners, be heavy scuffed, and show heavy wear.  There will usually be additional problems such as no dust jacket, underlining in the text, missing endpapers, cracked hinges or heavy dog-earing of page corners.

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