TV TIME
December 27, 1981
Philadelphia Sunday Bulletin insert

MY TV GUIDE GRADING SYSTEM
I try to be fair and honest in my grading, and make every attempt to mention 
loose or cut pages, stains, tears, binding damage, etc.  Sometimes I find that a
magazine falls between two grades, in which case I will list it with a two-grade
scale.  TV Guides typically have some staple pull along the spine as the covers are 
thin and brittle;  I try to mention any extreme staple pulls; subscription labels
may be present; may be marks on several listings and crossword puzzles may be
worked, but I do try to make a note of this in my listings when I spot such things.

NEAR MINT - MINT: I rarely use these grades, 
except when a magazine is in truly exceptional condition.

VERY FINE: very nice with virtually no major defects.

FINE+: an even nicer copy, with minimal obvious defects.

FINE: a nice copy, flat with minor creases; may have some spine stress,
 but no prominent defects.

FINE-: better than VG+ but just a bit short of what I would consider Fine.

VERY GOOD+: many of the magazines I list fall into this grade; 
a typical read magazine with obvious defects as noted.  
 May have a label or some subscription label residue.

VERY GOOD: fairly well-read with an accumulation of tears and defects as noted;
may be heavily creased or spine-rolled; this is my most often-used condition.  May have a label or some subscription label residue.
GOOD: a complete but heavily-read magazine; may be missing small pieces of 
covers; covers may be loose ; rolled spine or other noted damage.
FAIR: a rough magazine, with many defects including tears. 
missing pieces, water damage, spine wear, etc.
POOR: no missing pages unless noted, but otherwise a pretty trashed magazine; 
almost any and every damage may be present.