Pen Grading
Our thanks to David Isaacson for granting us permission to adopt his standard of pen/nib grading.
New Old Stock (NOS)
An unused pen asserted to have been never sold. Uncertainty exists as to confirming how the unsold status possibly could be confirmed.
Mint
Pen never met ink. Unused
Near Mint
Pen has been inked. Otherwise superb. Expect sharp imprints, unbrassed trim.
Excellent
Minimal wear. Trace high point brass IS allowed (eg. The clip ball of a Parker Duofold). Imprint sharp. Threads intact and functioning.
Extra-Fine
A gray zone grade offered as a concession to pens a flaw away from Excellent. One feature is off. Imprint is weak or a bit more brassing than is conveyed by Excellent. Consider Extra-Fine to mean “Pen is Excellent except for X” with X representing one weaker detail.
Fine
Still a nice pen. Moderate brassing, weaker imprint, more wear to plastic (light teeth marks) etc. all can be in play. Pen still is clean and presentable.
VG
The slippery slope continues. Light imprint, heavier brassing, stress lines (but not hairlines or cracks) to cap-lip, etc.
Good
Bad
USERGRADE
User grade pens have a large flaw that is of great significance to value, independent of other grading features. Most commonly, user grade will reference a hairline cap crack, barrel crack, bad cosmetic flaw, etc. Note that the flaw will be described and the overall grade will be provided independent of the flaw that renders the pen USER GRADE.
The Nib (the writing point, which in the old days actually WAS called the “pen” when the fancy barrel and cap we tend to focus on now, was just the pen holder).
Mint
No evidence of wear or ink.
Near Mint
Signs of Ink Exposure.
Excellent
Mild wear. No damage.
Fine
Moderate wear. Modest signs of adjustment or of straightening.
VG
More worn. A bit of bend/ripple.
Good
Quite worn. A more flawed.
USERGRADE
Severe flaw. Crack. Missing Iridium etc.