Condition is the single biggest factor in a book’s value. A first edition in Fine condition can be worth 10x the same book in Good.Documentation Index
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The grading scale
| Grade | What it means | Value impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | As new. No defects. May be unread. | 100% of market ceiling |
| Near Fine | Almost fine. Minor signs of handling, only visible on close inspection. | 80-90% |
| Very Good | Minor wear — slight shelf wear, small bumps. Clean, attractive copy. | 60-75% |
| Good | Average used. All pages intact, binding sound. Normal signs of use. | 40-55% |
| Fair | Heavy wear. May have markings, tears, loose pages. Still complete. | 20-35% |
| Poor | Significant damage. Reading copy only. May have missing pages. | 5-15% |
Dust jackets
For 20th century books, the dust jacket can be as important as the book itself. Record:- Present or absent — A first edition without its DJ can lose 50-80% of value
- DJ condition — Graded separately from the book
- Price clipped — Corner of DJ flap cut to remove price. Reduces value 10-20%.
What to look for
Value signals (grade carefully):- First editions, first printings
- Dust jackets on pre-1960 books
- Signed or inscribed copies
- Fine bindings (leather, gilt, marbled endpapers)
- Foxing (brown spots on pages)
- Cocked/shaken spine (leans when standing)
- Bumped corners
- Sunning/fading on spine
- Ex-library stamps, pockets, or stickers
- Remainder marks