ARE ALSO GRADED BY OVERALL CONDITION AND THE QUALITY OF THE FADE. A PAIR OF GRADE A USED 501S (SOMETIMES CALLED GRADE #1 501S) HAS NO STAINS OR HOLES OR SIGNS OF WEAR OTHER THAN AN OVERALL FADE. A GRADE B PAIR MAY HAVE A SMALL STAIN OR TEAR. DEALERS OFTEN TALK ABOUT RAISING GRADES, AS IN THE STATEMENT "WITH A LITTLE WORK WE CAN MAKE THAT B INTO AN A."
NONE OF THESE 501 TERMS IS STEADFAST; SOME OF THE DEALERS AREN'T CERTAIN OF THEM THEMSELVES. NOW THAT CUSTOMS OFFICIALS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BECOME INTERESTED IN USED-JEANS SHIPMENTS, THERE IS A GREATER INTEREST IN DEFINITION, BUT EVEN GOVERNMENTS ARE CONFUSED. A USED-LEVI'S DEALER I KNOW IN ROME RECENTLY HAD TO EXPLAIN RED LINES TO CUSTOMS OFFICIALS, WHO HAD RAIDED HIS STORE FOR CONTERFEITS (UNSUCCESSFULLY). I ALSO KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE LEVI'S OFFICIAL WHO TESTS USED-LEVI'S DEALERS' HISTORICAL 501 KNOWLEDGE ALMOST FOR SPORT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE THREE DOZEN OR SO CORE USED-JEANS DEALERS IN THE COUNTRY TELEPHONE THE LEVI STRAUSS HISTORIAN SO FREQUENTLY WITH QUESTIONS THAT THEY ARE SAID TO BEDRIVING HER NUTS.-R.S
NONE OF THESE 501 TERMS IS STEADFAST; SOME OF THE DEALERS AREN'T CERTAIN OF THEM THEMSELVES. NOW THAT CUSTOMS OFFICIALS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BECOME INTERESTED IN USED-JEANS SHIPMENTS, THERE IS A GREATER INTEREST IN DEFINITION, BUT EVEN GOVERNMENTS ARE CONFUSED. A USED-LEVI'S DEALER I KNOW IN ROME RECENTLY HAD TO EXPLAIN RED LINES TO CUSTOMS OFFICIALS, WHO HAD RAIDED HIS STORE FOR CONTERFEITS (UNSUCCESSFULLY). I ALSO KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE LEVI'S OFFICIAL WHO TESTS USED-LEVI'S DEALERS' HISTORICAL 501 KNOWLEDGE ALMOST FOR SPORT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE THREE DOZEN OR SO CORE USED-JEANS DEALERS IN THE COUNTRY TELEPHONE THE LEVI STRAUSS HISTORIAN SO FREQUENTLY WITH QUESTIONS THAT THEY ARE SAID TO BEDRIVING HER NUTS.-R.S
