Book condition is graded on two axes — the book and its dust jacket — written together as VG/G (book Very Good, jacket Good). Below: the grades, and how each maps to the terms used by AB Bookman, eBay, and AbeBooks.
Builds on the condition grading guide. Machine-readable: condition-standard.json (CC BY 4.0).
Grade crosswalk
| Code | NMLP grade | AB Bookman / ABAA | eBay | AbeBooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMLP:AN | As New | As New | Brand New | As New |
| NMLP:F | Fine | Fine | Like New | Fine |
| NMLP:NF | Near Fine | Near Fine | Like New | Near Fine |
| NMLP:VG | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good |
| NMLP:G | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| NMLP:FR | Fair | Fair | Acceptable | Fair |
| NMLP:P | Poor / Reading Copy | Poor | Acceptable | Poor |
Grade definitions
As New NMLP:AN
As issued by the publisher — no signs of handling or wear; flawless.
Fine NMLP:F
No defects; lacks only the crispness of a brand-new copy. No wear, tears, or marks.
Near Fine NMLP:NF
Very minor signs of wear (slight edge rubbing or a tiny bump); approaches Fine.
Very Good NMLP:VG
Shows wear but complete and sound, with all defects noted (rubbing, small jacket tears, light foxing, a name on the endpaper).
Good NMLP:G
The average used book: complete and readable, with noticeable wear (edgewear, soiling, a cracked hinge, a chipped jacket).
Fair NMLP:FR
Worn; text complete but may lack endpapers, half-title, or dust jacket. Significant defects throughout.
Poor / Reading Copy NMLP:P
Heavily worn or damaged; complete text only, valued for content rather than collectibility.
Cite this standard
Licensed CC BY 4.0. Reference grades by their stable code (e.g. NMLP:VG). A versioned DOI is being minted.