Our standard
How we grade
Every listing is graded New, Like New, Very Good, Good, or Acceptable — the condition scale used across Amazon and eBay, so there's nothing to learn before you can judge a listing for yourself.
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| N | New. Unread and unused, exactly as it left the publisher. No creasing, no marks, no wear. |
| LN | Like New. Indistinguishable from new at a glance. May have been opened once, but shows no wear, marks, or creasing. |
| VG | Very Good. Shows light signs of use — a soft crease or two, maybe — but no tears. Every defect is noted. |
| G | Good. The average used book: complete and intact, with normal wear from being read. Every defect is noted. |
| AC | Acceptable. Heavily read but complete — the text is intact even where the cover or binding shows real wear. Former library copies are always disclosed by name, whatever grade they carry. |
Always disclosed
Ex-library copies
Always disclosed, whatever the condition. Spine labels, stamps, card pockets, and mylar are permanent, so they're called out on the listing rather than buried in a grade.
Book club editions
Always disclosed. Book club printings are usually smaller and lighter than the trade edition, which matters when they're sitting in a matched set.
Owner marks
Previous owners' names, inscriptions, bookplates, and remainder marks are noted whenever they're present.
Mixed sets
Where volumes in a set disagree — different formats, printings, or grades — each volume is graded on its own line rather than averaged into one number.