Thanks Harvey for your post. It seems that ouside of I 258's and a few others, the prices of cuttings on eBay this year are much more reasonable than last ( from well known reliable fig people ,not the ones Harvey rightly points out)
It really is true that if you just wait a bit, this years hot fig will be much more reasonable in a year or two. I have sold some cuttings this year on eBay and have watched the market .

I'm not sure what governs that market, but there are definite changes year to year.

I certainly hope so.... cause I just got spanked by a person who wanted a fig even worse than I did...and I wanted it pretty badly :)

BTW, thank you for the Dominick's cuttings -- Ive started six of the batch (using two methods-- trying to find which works best) and in both trials they are already showing signs of taking root.... amazing! Hope I can successfully rear them to adulthood...

Coop, that is what I'm seeing/expecting also.

I am growing figs as part of my farm operation and, for me, they are expected to return a profit.  Some have made me more than I expected but I don't expect that to last.  I grow figs also for fun and like propagating and tending to young "baby" plants but selling them is the most sensible thing to do since I can't keep planting more and more figs.  I once wrote that I expected to be able to supply the market with a large quantity of a particularly popular variety and someone alleged I was "stockpiling".  That was not the case, but I had three vigorous trees and the quantity of cuttings from those alone should have brought the market price down.  Alas, the identity of those trees is now in question so that won't be the case for that variety for now.  But I do have others that have commanded high prices and they will be more plentiful this year.  Some people will be happy to see lower prices while some won't but I can't really expect to worry about what everyone else wants.  Of course, it's less work to sell 10 cuttings at $20 each than it is to sell 40 cuttings at $5 each, but my operating costs can still support lower prices like that eventually.  Since eBay gobbles up a fair share of sales proceeds, I'll probably list more abundant varieties on a web site at a fixed price and then the limited ones on eBay.  Last year figs were dormant by this time but we had dry weather and this year we've had warmer weather and lots of rain, so I've only got a small number of varieties that have gone dormant so far.  I may start pruning in a couple of days if it's not too muddy.

Last year I spent mucho dollars on RDB and ice crystal cuttings. This year RDB is all over ebay with cheap pricing from some of our members.I think it is best to wait until the following year.

Hey James merry xmas

Thanks James and Rafael ,
I have only purchased trees and cuttings from our well know forum friends for the last 3 years.
I could be short sighted on this, but these are the people I trust

Tulip craze, anyone? 

I've usually bought from known folk or JFE, whom I can go and visit, shake a hand, talk trees, and walk my wife through the garden (while an employee loads the three "other" trees I bought into the bed of the truck hehheh... and lest you think I'm duplicitous when it comes to fruit trees, let me assure you that I do not inquire about Mrs. She Who Must Be Obeyds' purchases at the mall -- she gets her allowance, I get mine. I just have different priorities )

I did get into a fierce bidding war , and to be honest, lost my mind a little.  I had cottonmouth when I looked at what I'd upped the ante to (note to self:  bourbon, Southern Gentlemanly Pride and eBay DO NOT MIX, hahah).  Honestly, I was glad when I got outbid by a buck.  To some of the eBay folk, it was chump change.  To me...well it was madness...  its why I don't play poker or go to the dog track. I'm too stupid when the passions get involved...and somehow the concept of a "grey fig" really inflamed a very particular passion deep in the crevices of my psyche. Y'know, great-great-grandson of Confederates and all. (Well, and one Michigan Yankee on my Dad's side of the family-- but there are not Blue figs to the best of my knowledge).

And to the person who beat me in this long, hard battle, I tip my hat to you Sir (or Ma'am). I hope you savor it with the knowing smile of a victor! Merry Christmas to you!

And a very merry Christmas to you, Rafael - 

James, I've bought many things at high prices myself.  I haven't splurged in much else for the past few years until today (paid for my old road bike to be rebuilt and bought some other cycling gear), so I felt it was somewhat reasonable to go a little crazy. Mind me if I ask what you lost out on?

I have cut down on selling on Ebay, I had a Priority Mail Box shipped and somehow it arrived at the house, but not the customer. There are a few people stealing packages left on porches. Sent them a second box with signature required.......Eventually the top price for a box of any cuttings will be $20 dollars, a great deal for the buyers. In the future, I see people selling small trees that are only 3 months old, being small, they should be easier to ship.

I don't know if my opinion would hurt the future sales of sticks on eBay or anywhere else but I have always believed that NO STICK is worth more than $5. It's just a stick for God's sake. We used to throw them in shredder and people still do with every fruit tree trims.
I know many fig collectors they still do that, THROW THEM in the trash.

Now if it was rooted and or even in a 4x4 pot or 1G pot with Verified source and breed name, maybe, it can be worth a bit of money because the grower invested time and TLC to bring it to that stage. Besides people pay for convenience meaning they don't have to go through the hassle of rooting and protecting or overwintering.

Until it roots and becomes a tree, the cutting is nothing but just a Promise.

Aaron, I don't believe either your opinion or mine has much influence on the future sales of fig cuttings on eBay. :)

I would generally value a bottle of cold water at about $.25-$.50.  If I've completed 10 miles of a 15 mile hike in warm weather and given the last of my drinking water to some Boy Scouts who did not bring the 2 liters I insisted they bring, I'd be willing to pay $5-$10 for that same bottle of water.  Drinking water on a long warm trail becomes pretty scarce, just like some fig varieties.  Some day nearly all fig varieties will become fairly common but, until that happens, some are considered much more valuable than others.  Some people have more time than money so they should wait until prices come down.  For some, the opposite is the case.

A fig cutting is always an opportunity to grow a new fig tree.  Typically, two fig cuttings bring about the same price as a small fig tree, in my experience.

By the way, I do discard many fig cuttings either because they were too large (fat), got moldy, or just too abundant to waste my time handling them all.

Harvey, I will pay shipping for many types of fat cuttings you don't want  :)

Like I said, Bob, those just aren't worth my time.  Friends or not, sleep is more important sometimes. :)

All the best to your fig venture Harvey. It is good for this hobby too.

Yes, I agree prices are going to stabilize and probably drop for most varieties.  I have been watching ebay almost everyday for nearly a year to get a feel for prices, there are definite times of the year where prices are going higher, but this makes sense with the seasonality of gardening.

Like Harvey, and a few others I'm sure here on Figs4Fun, I make all my income from my little farm, which just breaks even, I am lucky because my wife has a job she really enjoys.

 I have been acquiring varieties for my own use, but also I have intentions of selling locally and internet.  I can tell you there isn't much money in just figs, cuttings, plants.  I don't expect to get rich for sure.

What I'm trying to say is...There are quite a few people whose collections are growing and this will naturally drive prices down.  Much like a ponzi scheme, growers who are in it to sell are dependent on newbies, it's a fact.  That's why I think Jon is a genius for creating this site, and I will support him all I can.

Hi,
Despite what some think, figs are still rare .
So sometimes growing the cutting is the only way to taste that particular fig . Is that 5$ worth ? Each of us as his point on that.
But ok, each one must focus on his or her priorities and opportunities to "make and have fun" .
Here Panaché is rare even as a tree. For the first time this year, my hand landed on such a small tree of 2'/50cm of height for 25€ .
Panaché is not the most adapted cultivar to my Zone7 - to say the least.
Was that tree worth the 25€ ... YES IMO .
Raising that tree is my only way to stand a chance to taste a Panaché fig sometime in the years to come, with some ten ifs but still worth it for me.
But I have my limit and for me my psychological limit is 30 € for a tree except if ...

The market is only governed by offer and demand or lucky occasion for the acquisition ...
Have fun whatever the cuttings you buy ! ... Although I have to admit that with no fruit, there is no fun for me .

jd...
exactly my point, cuttings are not guaranteed to grow, I bet you have tried several times to grow Panachee from cutting, until you decided to go with live plant.
Cuttings are just that, A Promise, nothing else. That's why I think they should not be expensive.
Where on the other hand...rooted baby trees should have much more value because, to some, it's a "milking cow", meaning...you can start to get immediate satisfaction from fruit or get cuttings. And, to some, it's a time managed wisely, investing in already growing tree is better than wasting time on trying to root cuttings with very little success.

Diamonds are just rocks....

And an engagement ring is just a promise! lol

and that's not cheap! LOL

Did you spend more than $5 for that promsie, Aaron? ;)

Harvey,
have you heard of 3 months salary RULE? LOL

Great points.  Bottom line...it's worth what you're willing to spend.

If you have a smoker, dried fig leaves and branches make the most wonderful smoking material for meats and fish.  Dont toss the branches at trimming time if you like to grill out!