What do book condition grades mean?

Our book grading guide. Last reviewed October 2026. Book grading is the standard way to describe a used or rare book’s condition, on a scale that runs from Fine at the top down to Poor at the bottom. Below is what each grade means, the terms we use, and how we decide on a grade at Midlands Books. Condition is one of the biggest things that affects a book’s value, so knowing the grades helps you buy with confidence. We grade every book by hand, describe it as honestly as we can, and back it up with clear photos so you can judge for yourself.

The grading scale at a glance

Grade	Code	In short
Fine / Like New	F	Looks new, no defects. May have been read.
Near Fine	NF	Clean, no real defects, maybe slight wear to the edges or dust jacket.
Very Good	VG	Clearly used with minor defects, but sound and complete.
Good	G	An average used book, all pages present, with more noticeable wear or markings.
Fair	FR	Worn, soiled or tatty, but still holding together. Usually only worth listing for scarce titles.
Poor	P	Heavy damage, parts may be missing. Really only of interest if the book is very rare.

What each grade means in detail

Fine / Like New (F)

The book may have been read, but it looks new and has no defects. If there is a dust jacket, it is crisp and undamaged.

Near Fine (NF)

Clean and sound, with no real defects, but it may show slight wear at the edges of the book or the dust jacket. A very common grade for a well-kept older book.

Very Good (VG)

Clearly used, and showing minor defects: a clipped or chipped dust jacket, an owner’s inscription, a remainder mark, or some light foxing or bumping. Still a solid, complete, perfectly collectable copy.

Good (G)

An average used book with all its pages present. It may have any of the defects above to a greater degree, plus things like highlighting, library markings, or a loose binding.

Fair (FR)

Very worn, soiled, torn, or barely holding together. On a rare or collectable title you may still see a cocked spine, cracked hinges, water stains, or a torn or repaired dust jacket at this grade.

Poor (P)

Extensive damage from moisture or insects, detached boards, missing parts. Marginally saleable unless the book is genuinely unusual.

The condition terms we use

A few words come up again and again when grading. Here is what they mean:

• Dust jacket: the removable paper cover. “Clipped” means the price corner has been cut off; “chipped” means small pieces are missing.
• Remainder mark: a small mark (often a stamp or felt-tip line on the page edges) that a publisher adds to overstock. It is cosmetic, but it does affect value.
• Owner’s inscription: a name or dedication written in by a previous owner.
• Foxing: the small brown spots that appear on older paper. We explain what causes foxing and whether it can be removed in a separate guide.
• Bumping: soft, knocked corners or spine ends.
• Cocked spine, cracked hinges, boards: the structural parts of a book. If any of those are new to you, our post on the parts of a book explained walks through the anatomy.

How we decide on a grade

Grading is a judgement call, so we try to be conservative and honest. When a book sits on the line between two grades, we would rather give it the lower one than oversell it. We grade by hand, note the specific defects in the listing, and photograph the actual copy you will receive, not a stock image. These grades follow the standard conventions used across the antiquarian book trade. Our grade is our opinion of the book. Buyers should always judge condition for themselves from the photos, or ask us if they would like more detail.

Does condition affect a book’s value?

A great deal. The same title can be worth many times more in Fine than in Good, especially for a first edition or a scarce book. Condition is not the whole story though, rarity and demand matter just as much. We go deeper into this in how to know if your old book is valuable, and we explain how we decide on our retail prices.

Keeping a book in good condition

Once you own a nicely graded book, a little care keeps it that way. Our guides on how to store and care for old books, why you should never tape a rare book, and how to open an old book without damaging the spine are the simplest places to start.

Browse by what you collect

If you are looking to buy, you can browse our books, or go straight to our special edition titles and limited and fine press editions, where condition really counts.

Questions about a specific grade?

If you have any questions about a book’s grade or condition, contact our team. We are always happy to help you understand a listing so you can buy with confidence. You can reach Rob on WhatsApp at 082 328 2755 or email [email protected].

Frequently asked questions

What does “Near Fine” mean?

Near Fine is a clean, sound book with no real defects, showing only slight wear at the edges or on the dust jacket. It sits just below Fine, which looks essentially new.

What is a remainder mark, and is it a problem?

It is a small publisher’s mark on overstock, usually on the page edges. It is purely cosmetic and does not affect how the book reads, but it does lower the collectable value a little, so we always note it.

Does a clipped dust jacket lower a book’s value?

Yes, a little. A clipped jacket (the price corner removed) is still desirable, but an unclipped original jacket is worth more to a collector, so we always say which it is.

How much does condition affect a book’s value?

Often dramatically. A first edition in Fine can be worth several times the same book in Good condition. Rarity and demand matter too, but condition is usually the first thing that moves the price.

Do you grade coins the same way?

No. Coins and banknotes use their own grading scale, not the book grades above. We have a separate guide planned for that. In the meantime you can read are old South African coins worth anything.

Frequently asked questions