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Keith Wease Condition Calculator

For those of you who are unfamiliar with grading in the 1949 AB Standard or the IOBA standard, Keith Wease has come up with a calculator to help you gauge the condition of your books. Following this system, you can grade your books with an easy to follow system that pretty much replicates what book dealers have been doing mentally for about half a century now.





Grading Criteria Grading Deductions
Step 1. Binding. (Lay book down on spine, open 45 degrees in a 'V' and let go.) Hardcover Dust Jacket Softcover
a. Book closes completely. 0 N/A 0
b. Book closes, cover doesn't. -2 N/A -3
c. Book opens, pages fan. -4 N/A -5
d. Book lies flat open to a page. -8 N/A -10








Step 2. General Condition. Hardcover Dust Jacket Softcover
a. Light soiling. -2 -1 -2
b. Light shelf wear. -2 -2 -2
c. Remainder mark to page edges. -2 N/A N/A
d. Foxing/toning to page edges. -4 N/A -2
e. Foxing/toning other than edges. -6 -4 -4
f. Softening to top/bottom of spine. -6 -4 N/A
g. Crease on spine. -6 -4 N/A
h. Heavy wear to boards/soft cover/spine. -6 -4 -6
i. Worn through board/spine covering. -8 -8 N/A
Step 3. Damage. Hardcover Dust Jacket Softcover
a. Dust jacket price clipped. N/A -2 N/A
b. Bump to top or bottom corners/spine -4 -3 -4
c. Bump to top and bottom corners/spine. -8 -6 -8
d. Torn or dogeared page or light chipping. -4 -3 -4
e. More than one torn or dogeared page or heavy chipping. -8 -6 -8
f. Crease on soft cover. N/A N/A -4
g. Multiple creases on soft cover. N/A N/A -8
h. Water damage, missing maps/plates, broken spine, other major damage. -10 -10 -10
i. Missing pages. -12 N/A -12
j. Large chips, tears, creasing to DJ. N/A -10 -10
k. Dust jacket in pieces. N/A -14 N/A
l. Partial dust jacket. N/A -18 N/A
Step 4. Additions to Book. (Doesn't include author or celebrity signatures or inscriptions, which may actually enhance the value of the book. Hardcover Dust Jacket Softcover
a. Previous owner's bookplate. -2 -2 -2
b. Previous owner's name. -2 -2 -2
c. Pertinent writing or inscriptions. -2 -2 -2
d. Scribbling, highlighting, note-taking, etc. -4 -4 -4
e. Anything attached other than bookplate. -4 -4 -4
Step 5. Grading the Book. Hardcover Dust Jacket Softcover
a. Add up all deductions.      
b. Subtract total deductions from 20.      
c. Divide result in "b" above by 2.      
d. Compare to table below.      

 

Grading Table
Point Value Rating Standard Abbreviation
10 As New/Mint AN or M
9 - 9.5 Fine F
8 - 8.5 Near Fine NF
6.5 - 7.5 Very Good VG
6 Near Very Good
NVG
5 - 5.6 Good G
4 - 4.5 Fair FR
Below 4 Poor P