Free tool
Book Condition Grader
Tick every flaw you can see. The grade is capped by the worst defect — exactly how careful sellers grade.
The standard grading scale
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| As New | Unread and flawless, as issued. Rare for anything but recent books. |
| Fine (F) | Close to As New; no defects worth mentioning. |
| Near Fine (NF) | Approaching Fine with one or two very small flaws. |
| Very Good (VG) | Used but well cared for; some wear, no tears or major defects; flaws described. |
| Good (G) | An average, complete used copy with wear and possibly marks. Despite the name, this is the middle of the scale. |
| Fair | Worn and possibly damaged but complete; a reading copy. |
| Poor | Heavily damaged or incomplete. Usually only worth it for scarce texts. |
Dust jackets are graded separately, written as book grade / jacket grade (for example, “Very Good / Good”). Faults such as ex-library status, book club editions, price-clipped jackets and remainder marks are always mentioned in the description, whatever the grade.
Grading is not an exact science and sellers differ. The golden rule: grade conservatively and describe every flaw. Buyers forgive a modest grade; they return books that were oversold. Learn more in Book condition grades explained.