So what started this I think was my mouse damage and me saying that I was going to chop these damaged figs up and sell them. (Whatever I don't need in excess of replacing what I lost.) These very rare and exclusive varieties include:
California Brown Turkey
Uncle Corky's
Orphan
Algerian
Attilio Purple
Peter's Honey
Gurnsey White Seedless
Deanna
Abebereira
143-36
U. Natalina BI
U. Abrutzzo
U. East Brunswick
U. Somerset

The only one that may be of any real value would be the Smith. Thankfully I did find a 5gal pot from the same group of cuttings, so maybe I can get fruit from it this year after all.

If I was trying to scam someone, I think I would choose different varieties. As far as me keeping my collection straight. All plants are double or tripple labeled. Could someone have given me the wrong varieties? Anything is possible. I almost exclusively trade with forum members and local fig people. If it bothers you that I have not tasted or photographed ripe figs, Sorry, nothing I can do about that now. I will provide pictures of the actual young trees. It's up to you weather or not you want to take my word for it. All I have is my reputation. I cannot speak for people I've purchased from or sell to. Yes, mistakes happen. We all make them. If I am ever to be the source or facilitator of a mistake, I'll do whatever I can to make it right.

Agreed, pictures of fruit and leaf are ideal. I don't think it's a deal breaker.

Aaron are you still selling those?

The plan is to take cuttings and start them. I'll be selling the small trees.

Pictures? I wonder why people even bother with listing and dealing with buyers for the price of $5-$6. Some sellers even list for $2.
And you want pictures and pedigree of tree for such price?  Yeh... Right............
And most expensive cuttings sold based on "reputation of seller" without any pictures.
Something wrong with this  "pictures" deal. Rules for some and "reputation" for others?

Aaron,

I hope you are able to recover the varieties that where damaged. Good luck! Some of the varieties you sent me are delicious, sweet and tasty quality figs. Don't let the lack of images or the fact that they are unknowns fool you. This is coming from someone who has tasted very rare fancy varieties. I hope you continue to share more of these in the future to come.

I do not sell figs trees or cutting nor do I use the Forum as a buyers club, I give them away because I am happy growing not selling. The point I made about the drought is fact and to be a Hermanite I would just have to sit out the next cutting season because I did not have a pic? 

Nobody has demeaned the hard work people have done on scammers. I have in fact benefited from it. I will correct those that falsely accuse others as I have twice recently. I am not knocking your products, I am sure all of your figs are on the "High Quality Fig" list even if it does not exisit. I do find it seems suspicious that one of the loudest voices against Ebay sales on this Forum appears to be proud he does not use it and does his best to try to discredit those that do but not to his personal pinnacle of  standards.

We now know each other opinions. I don't expect to change yours and you will not mine. We have strong differing opinions and we have expressed them. I have purchased many fine cutting from small sellers that were not Hermanites as I am sure you have purchased many from those that meet your standards. 

As to the generalizations I took yours and others comments on what some seem to expect from sellers and combined them. It is a lost cause to think a seller of $15-20 cuttings will ever follow your Herman wish list. Not everyone wants to be like you and follow your path as a fig collector/seller.

 
As to your inference about computers I built my first one in 1975 from scratch and have authored and instructed 26 different training courses in various digital communication systems maintenance,  including PC's for the USN and AT&T plus some of the largest US corporations and one State College for over 35 years. I am pretty sure I can use a computer and still have not found your "members in good standing" list nor a "high quality figs" list. But then I understood search engines and was pretty sure they did not exist in that form to start with.

I have a great respect for your fig experience and enjoy many of your comments but we are 180 out on this singular subject and as such there is no right or wrong opinions. There are just opinions. I hold no animosity towards you, just the promotion of the "Herman " rule for all sellers. If a seller can't recover their costs (time) they will not be in business long and a small Ebay seller that sells fig cutting from his yard will never go to your extreme to sell common varieties of figs. They probably don't even know this Forum exists much less the "Herman" $1200 rules so it will not change that, it will only hurt the little guys if people on the Forum buy into it too seriously. Please feel free to respond and then we will stop boring others with this. I think we have explained our thoughts on this subject to all.

All you guys...
Thank you for a lot of new information.

Does anybody have a tip about getting some I-258 cuttings from a genuine source who offers international shipping?

I think we've both had our say.
Other then I have to disagree with you that I try and discourage folks from using Ebay I don't entirely disagree with you.

This issue has just been blown out of proportion and I think my comments to Aaron were taken far more negatively then I meant them. I do know my writing style is a bit abrasive and short sometimes.

I also hold no ill feelings toward you and hope this all just fades away. I respect your composure and ability to keep from escalating things.

A lot of us have seen Ebay scammers multiply and we are trying to find a away to keep people from wasting time and money on figs that are not as advertised. I also understand that it isn't a big issue for some folks that are happy with whatever they get.

And as far as I'm concerned -all members are in good standing until they do something that changes that.

I wish you a good night.

As much as I appreciate everyones passion, this problem solves itself. Firstly, just because someone suggests the way they think it should be done, and you don't do it that way, doesn't mean they are saying you are "bad human being" and "scammer".

But how does the problem solve itself? Well, two listings. One with a several pics (including of the ripe fruit). Other listing one pic of leaf and it says "Rare Fig". Hmmm, I will buy the one with the ripe fruit pic. Does that mean the listing with just a leaf pic is a scammer? No. Of course not. You want to consistently buy the one with just the leaf pic? Go ahead. Now if someone has a  good reputation and they don't have fruit pics and they explain that, I might buy the cutting or plant. But I still prefer the pic.

Also, it's not just about the price of the fig. $2 fig or $400 fig. My time and the limited space I have is precious. By the time you grow it out and produce figs that price difference looks a whole lot closer.

Bretton,
Very well said. 

OK, now I understand, thanks.