Bob, I look at it a little different...  Take this example.

Imagine there is a company that makes frozen banana machines.  I purchase a banana machine and produce my own frozen bananas.  I then find a group of people who are willing to accept payment for my goods in frozen bananas.  Im no tax expert, but it seems to me that the IRS has no control over my frozen bananas in this barter system and only when it changes to fiat and I start selling them, then I pay sales tax/business taxes.  Now even if I do decide to sell them, seems i should only pay sales taxes/biz taxes.  I dont see where a capital gains tax comes into play here. Even if i produced TONS off banans when the price was lower.. Or if the great banana shortage of the 30s comes back and they skyrocket.  Its still a banana, not fiat...

Is this an incorrect assumption?