Ioba book terminology independent online booksellers. Some basic descriptive terms are used by booksellers to communicate book condition. A book in poor condition will be worth far less than the same book in fine condition. Any attempt to manipulate returns andor completion rates by issuing refunds outside the abebooks system, andor by a method other than the buyers original payment method, is a violation of abebooks policy. This is because items published with these qualifiers are legally binding and cannot be adjusted by sellers. Abebooks glossary of book terms our glossary was designed to help visitors to our website understand unfamiliar book related terms. Inside, the pages must be creamy, no trace of brown, and also there can be no name plates or other writing inside the book.
Cocked also refers to a book where the spine no longer remains at right angles to the covers. There has been a huge rise in the collectability of ultramoderns or hypermoderns and condition is even more critical in this area than others. The general condition guidelines do not apply to collectible books. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. Book editions, or book printings, follow the standard conventions used by various publishing houses. If the book does include a cd or dvd, it will be noted in the book s condition description with cd.
Grading guidelines used to properly describe condition of books. Publishers and booksellers have built a specialized vocabulary over the years to consistently describe to perspective customers what to expect to see when the book is delivered. Condition guidelines assigning the correct condition to each product you list on amazon is the first step toward providing a great customer experience. Brookhart and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at abebooks. Today in book collecting 101, john teaches us about the grading process vjbooks uses, and how to inspect a book in order to assess its value as a collectible. Binding copy describes a book in which the pages or leaves are perfect, but the binding is very bad, loose, off, or nonexistent. First edition book values how much is a book worth.
A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. Describes a book that shows some small signs of wear but no tears on either binding or paper. A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. Also terms for grading and describing books free used book resource and dealer directory. Author, title, publisher, isbn, cover price, year of publication, edition use mcbrides guide if you arent sure, book condition this is tricky, but important, see below, jacket. Mint m this means that the book is in near perfect condition. Author, title, publisher, isbn, cover price, year of publication, edition use mcbrides guide if you arent sure, book condition this is tricky, but important, see below, jacket condition, noted defects remainder mark, price clipped, inscriptions etc.
Ioba condition definitions independent online booksellers. All sellers listing items on this site are required to use this grading system for a standard method. The cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket if applicable is included for hard covers. What the site really does is run a search on similar books for sale or auction and show you an. Condition problems are the number one reason we pass on books. A more complete guide to book sizes, book conditions and binding terms can be found through the aforementioned links. It pays to become familiar with the basic descriptive terms used by used and rare booksellers to communicate a particular book s condition. Questions about the paricular condition of a book quoted for sale are always welcomed. Although the grading of books is not a precise science, collectors should. Book collecting guide a guide to book conditions abebooks.
Publishers and booksellers have built a specialized vocabulary over the years to consistently describe to perspective customers what to. Millions of cheap used books are offered for sale online by bookstores and booksellers on the abebooks marketplace. In all cases, the lack of a dust jacket is noted if the book was issued with one. A more complete guide to book sizes, book conditions and binding.
Here is a coin grading volume so complete thatlike its author, pcgsit indeed sets the standard for grading coins. The best pattern grading book published in the united states is professional pattern grading for womens, mens, and childrens apparel by jack handford. It is important to make a careful assessment of your. The set of terms below were proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly. A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. Here is a coin grading volume so complete thatlike its author, pcgsit. Free design service and artwork for grading books or. If the watchwords in real estate are location, location, location, the watchwords in collecting are condition, condition, condition. A product that was inspected and graded by a qualified supplier a seller, vendor.
Prior to the emergence of internet marketplaces such as biblio, ab bookmans was the primary marketplace by which dealers and collectors located and traded in antiquarian books. Assigning the correct condition to each product you list on amazon is the first step. Can also refer to the outer indentation that is created by the. Otherwise, there is no cd or dvd included, even if the term is used in the book s title. When you order from an abebooks bookseller, they ship the book directly to you from their store. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. It is complete with its dustwrapper and is impossible to tell from a new copy. Quite frequently when i am in the process of obtaining oz books from a private.
Whether were buying in person or online, we only accept books that we consider to be in good condition. Condition of a book is usually in the form of vgvg, finegood, vg, etc. Alternatively send us an existing grading book or digital file and we will do the rest. The site has focused less on converting books to electronic forms and more on the preservation of older prints and rare prints. But such transactions are getting few and far between. The bibliobot feature of the pba galleries web site allows you to enter in all of the pertinent information about your book author, title, publishing year, condition, if its a first edition or signed and receive an. Prices paid are based on the condition, edition and isbn of the book when it is received in the warehouse. We generally use this term only to describe new books and, frankly, some new books are no longer in as new condition by the time they get. Here is the standard grading system used for all books available on. Book grading has been a bugaboo and a source of controversy in the book business for, at least, thrity years to my personal knowledge. Vj books use of 1st edition in a books description denotes a first editionfirst printing of the book. The first deals with book sizes, book condition and common abbreviations. A copy usually in poor to fair condition that includes all text presented in a legible fashion. The dust jacket is intact, if applicable, with no noticeable or very minor nicks or flaws.
We have basic page designs to stock ready for your alterations. As with grading all collectibles, there is a degree of subjectivity as there are many factors to consider and all of them must be weighed to. Booksellers and collectors grade books and dust jackets using standardized terms. Mar 12, 2020 condition problems are the number one reason we pass on books. Vintage paperback book grading fine virtually flawless. Good g a book, or dust jacket in average used and worn condition complete with all its parts. I once emailed them and asked about the condition of a specific book. Changing condition on books and comics, help for new. If youre selling your books online and they do not meet our condition standards, we may change our.
Before the internet and the enlargement of the used book market, two basic systems held sway. The official guide to coin grading and counterfeit detection. If the condition, edition or isbn received does not match what youve submitted, your quote will be adjusted. Very fine is a flawless copy, perfect in every way and probably never. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book. When considering the purchase of a book for your collection, the condition and, if applicable, the dust jacket are the most important factors affecting the value. If the condition, edition or isbn received does not match what youve submitted, your quote will be. It is important to make a careful assessment of your product before specifying its condition. How to read rare book condition descriptions book collecting guide. May 04, 2016 today in book collecting 101, john teaches us about the grading process vjbooks uses, and how to inspect a book in order to assess its value as a collectible. Any attempt to manipulate returns andor completion rates by issuing refunds outside the abebooks system, andor by a method other than the buyers original payment method, is a violation of abebooks. A condition guide for abebooks july, 20 uncategorized abebooksfan abebooks is a distributor and reseller of millions of books, novels, textbooks, and hardtofind prints. Book condition grades signed first editions mse books.
Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket if applicable is included for hard covers. All sellers listing items on this site are required to use this grading system for a standard method understood by all. A rare book in poor condition will sell for a fraction of the price of the same book in superb condition. Although the grading of books is not a precise science, collectors should familiarize themselves with these terms. A condition resulting from storing a book on a shelf so that it leans and rests against its neighbor or the side of a bookcase. Abebooks is a distributor and reseller of millions of books, novels, textbooks, and hardtofind prints. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. As new means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. The book is new, unread, and unused in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. Its also very important to know the condition grading terms that booksellers use.
If the book does include a cd or dvd, it will be noted in the books condition description with cd. The book and jacket have to be absolutely pristine with no faults at all, however minor. As new to be used only when the book is in the same immaculate condition to which. They were adopted by the bookselling community and are still in use today. Research and identify a first printing, first edition by publisher. I have a particular problem that impacts thousands of my listings and i dont know how to fix it. Book club copies must always be designated as such no matter what the condition of the book. Information the novice and professional can use in book collecting, investing, dealing, pricing, grading, terms and descriptions used. Vj books use of 1st edition in a book s description denotes a first editionfirst printing of the book being described. Later printings when offered will always be disclosed. Before the internet and the enlargement of the used book market. A rare book in poor condition will sell for a fraction of. This book illustrates and explains with precise descriptions and digital images how you can determine the exact condition of a coin.
Please give accurate information about your book and pack your shipment well. Abebooks glossary of book terms our glossary was designed to help visitors to our website understand unfamiliar bookrelated terms. Booksellers are individuals and as such may have what they think is the best book description definitions. Included in every issue ab bookmans after 1949 was a set of criteria for grading the condition of used books. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book condition. This is the equivalent of mint condition in numismatics. Otherwise, there is no cd or dvd included, even if the term is used in the books title. Book collectors generally want books that are in as close to their original condition as possible. The ioba book condition definitions standards codify these condition definitions so that ioba booksellers have a guideline for describing their books.
Grading books how to describe condition at bookseller world. All about the sunday school instructions for the conduct of an average sunday school courses of study, methods of teaching, departmental grading, accessories, and literature by fant, david j. Booksellers use standard terms to describe the condition. Ab bookmans weekly, which ceased publication in 1999, was for decades the bible of the antiquarian book trade. Free design service and artwork for grading books or certificates. Amazons abebooks backs down after booksellers stage global. Other descriptors used in conjunction with the above grading scale. The ioba book condition definitions standards codify these condition definitions so that ioba. Condition grades as new as new describes a book that is in immaculate, crisp condition with a perfect dust. Online sales used book condition descriptions used books. It pays to become familiar with the basic descriptive terms used by used and rare booksellers to communicate a particular books. This includes uncorrected proofs of inprint or notyetpublished books. If a is present, it usually means that the dust jacket is not present. The rare books section of is a great place to search for highly.
I have sold books and comics for years on abebooks, a company owned by amazon, and. Brookhart and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The best pattern grading book of all fashionincubator. Quite frequently when i am in the process of obtaining oz books from a private individual and ask him or her about the book condition, i get a reply that the books are in very good condition. Condition grades as new as new describes a book that is in immaculate, crisp condition with a perfect dust jacket. Book condition grades a guide for collectors of signed first editions. Abebooks list of book conditions ioba grading system. Jul, 20 a condition guide for abebooks july, 20 uncategorized abebooksfan abebooks is a distributor and reseller of millions of books, novels, textbooks, and hardtofind prints. Clearly, when buying a signed book, the better its condition the more its likely to appreciate over time. For a book to receive this grade it may have only the slightest traces of wear noticeable upon very close inspection.
The bibliobot feature of the pba galleries web site allows you to enter in all of the pertinent information about your book author, title, publishing year, condition, if its a first edition or signed and receive an instant appraisal. Book collecting tips, book grading, book terminology, book. Paperback grading a letter grade system is sometimes used for describing the. The following conditions apply for collectible books. Bookgrading service please help the ebay community. Book grading is one of the most ambiguous factors in collectible books.