Good condition is the key to salability of used and collectible books. For a rare book, the dust jacket can account for as much as 80 percent of its value as a collectible. So it's best to pass up books that have major flaws like broken bindings and missing dust jackets. Buyers understand that a used book will show some wear, but nobody wants to receive a book that looks abused.

As the popular marketplaces have brought used books to the masses over the past few years, the terminology used by booksellers to describe the condition of used books has simplified. The streamlined system in use today on the popular online marketplaces follows these guidelines:

New: A brand new, unread copy in perfect condition. Dust cover is intact; pages are pristine; book is suitable for a gift.

Like New: An apparently unused copy in perfect condition. Suitable for a gift.

Very Good: A copy that has been read but is still in excellent condition. Pages are intact and contain no underlining, highlighting, or notes.

Good: A good reading copy, clean, with all pages intact and dust jacket present (if issued). Spine may show some wear, and pages may include limited notes and highlighting.

Acceptable: A usable copy. All pages are intact, but the dust jacket may be missing. Pages may include considerable notes or highlighting, but text must not be obscured.

Be conservative when assigning condition -