If you are new to collecting rare books or are interested in taking up book collecting as a hobby the following information should be helpful.
Grading Book Condition
VF: Very Fine
F: Fine
NF: Near Fine
VG: Very Good
G: Good
DJ: Dust Jacket
HC: Hardcover
SC: Softcover
Most books worth buying will fall within these grades. Some may come with or without a dust jacket and be a hard or soft cover.
Buying books online from Ebay or Thriftbooks can be a little bit of a gamble because many times books sold online do not come with photos of the actual individual book being purchased. Also some sellers exaggerate the condition of the book.
In school grading terms G for Good is similar to a C grade for passing a class. An F for Fine would be an A grade instead of an f for fail.