Book collectors describe condition on a short trade scale, and they grade the book and its dust jacket separately. A copy described as "Very Good in a Good jacket" is a Very Good book whose jacket is only Good. The two grades together decide most of the value of a collectable book.
The grades, from best to worst
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| Fine | As new or nearly so. No defects worth mentioning, tight binding, clean pages. |
| Near Fine | Approaching Fine, with one or two very small faults that should be named. |
| Very Good | A used book that has been well kept. Some wear shows, but nothing is missing or torn. |
| Good | An average used copy. Wear, marks or fading are obvious, but the book is complete. |
| Fair | A worn copy that may have faults such as loose pages or missing endpapers. |
| Poor | A reading copy only: heavily worn, damaged or incomplete. |
Grades are only half the description. Dealers name every significant fault, so "Very Good, small ink name on the endpaper" tells you more than the grade alone.
Grading the dust jacket
Grade the jacket on the same scale, on its own merits. Look for:
- Chips and tears, especially at the head and foot of the spine and the corners.
- Fading, usually to the spine panel, which sits in the light on a shelf.
- Price-clipping, where the price has been cut from the front flap. It lowers the value of a collectable jacket and should always be stated.
- Restoration, such as tape, colour retouching or backing. Collectors want to know.
- Facsimile jackets, modern reproductions put on genuine books. A facsimile is not the original jacket and is valued accordingly.
Common faults that change a grade
- Foxing: brown spots on the pages, caused by damp.
- Ex-library: stamps, pockets, labels and removed sleeves. These copies are usually graded down sharply, although for some early books most surviving copies are ex-library.
- Remainder mark: a stamp or spray on the page edges from a publisher's remaindered stock.
- Inscriptions: an owner's name lowers value; a signature or inscription by the author can raise it a great deal.
- Shaken or cocked: a loose binding, or a spine that leans when the book stands up.
How grade affects value
For collectable first editions the gap between grades is wide. A first edition in a Fine jacket is often worth several times the same book in a Good jacket, and many times a copy with no jacket at all. That is why MyVolumes values every printing by condition, and why your collection records the book and jacket grades separately.
Be honest and consistent when you grade your own books. If in doubt, grade down and describe the fault: your estimates will be more realistic, and buyers will trust your descriptions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Fine and Near Fine?
Fine means as new or nearly so, with no defects worth mentioning. Near Fine is close to that but has one or two very small faults, which a careful seller will name.
Should a book and its dust jacket be graded separately?
Yes. Collectors grade the book and the jacket separately on the same scale, for example Very Good in a Good jacket, because the jacket often carries most of the value of a collectable first edition.
Does a price-clipped dust jacket lower the value?
Yes. Cutting the price from the front flap is a fault that collectors expect to be stated, and it lowers the value of a collectable jacket.
Are ex-library books worth less?
Usually much less, because of stamps, pockets and labels. For a few early books most surviving copies are ex-library, so the gap is smaller, but a clean copy still commands a premium.
Where these facts come from
- Grading conventions used by members of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association and ILAB dealers in their catalogues
- MyVolumes condition scale, as used for every value on the site
Points of issue are listed only where at least two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 16 October 2026.
Last reviewed 16 October 2026.