Book Condition Guide
Many of the books at Lantern Lane are pre-owned. Our books ship directly from independent booksellers in the United States, and each pre-owned copy is graded by the bookseller holding it using one of the five grades below. The grade on the product page is the grade of the copy you will receive. This page explains what each grade means, so you know what to expect before you order.
Condition grades at a glance
| Grade | Spine & binding | Cover & corners | Pages | Notes, highlighting, stamps | Dust jacket (hardcovers) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New | Unread, tight, no creases | Crisp and clean; no wear | Clean, uncreased | None | Present, unclipped, no tears |
| Like New | Tight; no visible reading creases | Clean; at most very faint shelf rubbing | Clean, no dog-ears | None | Present, may show very light shelf wear |
| Very Good | Tight; light reading creases possible | Light wear to edges or corners | Clean; may have light yellowing (age toning) | None, other than a previous owner's name on the inside cover | Present; minor edge wear or small closed tears possible |
| Good | Intact and secure; noticeable creasing | Visible wear, bumped corners, minor scuffs | All pages present; may show toning or minor dog-ears | May contain limited notes or highlighting, stickers or remainder marks | May be worn, chipped or missing (noted in the listing) |
| Acceptable | Readable; heavy creasing, binding may be loose but complete | Heavy wear, possible stains or curled cover | All text present and readable; may have water marks or wrinkling | May contain substantial notes or highlighting | Often missing |
What every grade guarantees
- All pages of text are present and readable.
- The edition and format match the ISBN shown on the product page.
If a grade is wrong, we fix it
You buy from Lantern Lane, so we stand behind the grade. If your copy is in worse shape than its grade describes, we'll send a replacement or refund you in full.
If your book isn't what you expected
You have 30 days from delivery to request a return. If a book doesn't match its condition grade, arrives damaged, or isn't the book you ordered, email us a photo and your order number at support@lanternlanegoods.com and we'll send a replacement or refund you in full. See our full Returns & Refunds policy for details.
Questions about a specific copy before you buy? Contact us and we'll take a closer look.