I've often pondered this question. As a buyer and seller on eBay, I've often tried to analyze what makes a fig "hot". This year there was the early front runner I -258 ,now the Galicia and a few others??? Why these? Rarity??? Flavor ?? Collection??? Too Much Money??? I've been watching and buying for a few years now and have seen once fabulous varieties become commons just a year later.
What controls this ??
Coop

Driving force is the need to have a fig tree very few own.
The cuttings being sold are from trees that probably will
never be sold at nurseries.Plus buy now pay later,makes it to easy
to over spend on a want to have.

Generally speaking, 3 factors drive that:

1. Rarity
2. Availability
3. Consumer demand

I understand the logical reasons. What creates the "buzz". I would think this forum could be a factor in creating the buzz but no one had really touted some of these varieties recently. Crazy prices for cuttings ??
Where is that coming from?

Pre-heat oven to 350*F, then bake.  :)

I-258 for me was a question of superior flavor. Also, it can only be obtained from other collectors, nowhere else. No UC Davis and not any nurseries. That alone will drive up the price.

I think it takes a few things,

-It doesn't need the wasp and can be ripened anywhere, even if it takes some special care to do so.
-Rare, obviously, supply and demand always drives up price.
-Flavor, "the best" or one of the best in a class. Everyone wants to try the best.
       When multiple collectors with large collections put a certain fig at the front of the line for flavor, that fall through spring the price of that variety goes up.

The fun thing is that there are so many figs in the world, this pattern will go on for some time.

Used to be if an established fig grower, like Herman George, Bass or some other, would talk about great taste or some other such feature that would make everyone want it. then simply supply and demand drives the price

IGNORANCE !!!!!

Anyone with more than a couple years under their belt growing figs would never pay those prices .
It use to be that this forum would connect growers who would share their varieties .
Now it seems the trend is to hype a fig then limit its availability so you can talk it up and make a killing .
I can still get any of those supposedly rare varieties from the people I have shared with or someone they know for shipping costs but 
I have 40 or so great varieties anyway , and thats too many anyhow .
Unfortunately for the noobs the spirit of this forum has taken a different direction .

John

What attracts me pure and simple is taste.  When people really do a great job describing the flavor I want to try it too.  Then I look at size because some might be really good stuffed with goat cheese, drizzled with honey and grilled.  Color.  Plants that have beautiful leaves or fruit.  Pictures which really show the growth habit and productivity.  Down the road is this something my friends could root and sell out of the greenhouse as something different.

Hey Calvin ,

It really irks me to see someone join the forum and on their first post ask members to give them cuttings for free or with some of the  really  generous ones setting the terms that they are willing to pay postage so we should be grateful.
I agree that if you want cuttings you should be at least willing to pay for them or have something to trade . Now if a member decides to offer them for free or postage thats just a bonus .
I just find that the prices Jon offers cuttings for to be a reasonable going rate , but this ebay craziness is just that , craziness .
And yes there are a lot more members here just looking to make a buck , so its hard to know if they are honest or just hyping a variety for themselves or for a friend who will be listing it on ebay next week .
So its one thing to have differing opinions on flavour and another altogether to have someone liking a variety because they have cuttings they can sell if they talk it up a bit . 
As far as Herman ( Vasile ) recommending a variety , well now that is through many years of trial and error and lots of contribution to this forum so If anyone wants to overpay for figs at least he's just about earned it .

John

Great stuff guys.
It will be interesting to see which  varieties  of Jon's become "hot"

I hear ya John. Funny thing, some of Vasiles figs are the only ones I have paid too much for. I sure am happy I'm done with that list :)

Maybe the frequency that a variety appears in wishlists has some affect? 

It is a strong promotion when a variety appears often in wishlists, especially to somebody who does not want to spend time searching through old threads. Wishlists are very visible and persistent, like advertisements, where eBay auctions eventually end and threads drop to the bottom. They are an indicator of current demand. Maybe they make people reading the forum want something a little bit more too?

People who want to make money selling cuttings can hone in on hip varieties and buy up the current supply to sell them in the future. Just my 2c. 

Every year some varieties ,surprised me and ,so at this time ,a few varieties,are consistently delicious,year after year.
Some of this delicious varieties needs full sun,and warmer latitudes ,and might not be delicious in Canada ,because of lack of climatic conditions,to ripe properly,but the said varieties are top notch ,from my location and south of me.
Of course with a greenhouse,and pot growing,people in Canada might get results just as good as people in New Mexico.
These are,my choices of cultivars that deserves a high price acquiring:
Ital 258, You will find worth every penny,after tasting the first properly ripe fruit.
Preto (slow growth)
Madeira Black(poor vigor) It might not be worth,due to health issues.
Col de Dame white,(blanche)(poor vigor)
Col de Dame Gris (grise) Strong grower
Col de Dame Black,(needs more sun,than the other 2)
Adriatic JH,good grower,delicious,and worth more than the market Brings.
Malta Black(early ,delicious,and ,undervalued)
Vasilika Syka ,super delicious,but,needs full sun,or early greenhouse,start,in cold climates,to ripe
Ischia Black,(Poor grower)

You can have 200 other,varieties ,with fancy names,none will come to the qualities of these.
As for new varieties like Galicia Negra,it  does look wonderful,as fruit,but we have nobody on fig forum that had a handful of ripe fruits to tell us how they taste,especially someone that can compare them against ,Col de Dame,or Ital 258,Madeira or Preto.
I am hopeful ,someone in 2015,will be able to evaluate it ,and let us know.

Great list VS!

The Italian fig growers on facebook are laffing their arses off at crazy Americans paying hundreds of dollars for Galicia Negra. They don't understand how great figs are a dime a dozen there and so costly here. Fool's gold they say.

How wonderful to hear from Barry and Vasile again.
Newbies take note, Herman2 has taught us all a thing or two

Thanks for that post Herman. Great info.