Being in stock photography for only a few months, I wasn't even aware that a single image could sell for $300. Normally it is only a buck or two. Looked at my Deepmeta stats for the month of August and was pleasantly surprised to see that two of my images sold for $220 and $300 each. I am wondering how is it possible? When I open these files on iStock, it shows me that I can buy them for $12 each. According to Deepmeta info, these files were sold on Getty, however, when I am trying to locate them on Getty website, I get a message saying that it is a Restricted asset and I am not able to buy it due to country, company and/or publication restrictions. I am located in the USA and both of the files in question were purchased in the USA. So why am I not able to see the price, when at the same time somebody from my region somehow was able to buy them. I am stunned? I would appreciate if somebody could explain this or maybe provide a link to iStock pricing structure and explanation or transaction types?

Getty has many special deals - Premium Access is the name of one of them (I think; they have changed it many times). Your royalty rate applies to whatever negotiated fee that customer has agreed to. I believe that when logged in they show you the rates you're entitled to see, so it's not about being in the wrong country, but not being an account with any sort of special pricing.

If you're independent, you get 15% for photos and 20% for illustrations & video.

Shutterstock "single & other" downloads have generated royalties (not license amounts) up to $120. There are higher priced deals out there, and it's more about the buyer and their license needs than about your content.

I think it's a problem that contributors cannot know the details of some of these private deals - the agencies don't divulge what rights they've licensed, so it's a good price or a bargain, and all you know is the royalty you'll receive. We've asked about this in the past and gotten nowhere

I long ago gave up trying to work out stuff like this its time consuming and you will probably never get an answer as the agencies are so opaque......and if you did what would you do as a result?

Isn't it that they bought an exclusive right on the image (local or worldwide) and now you can't see the images because they are not on sale anymore (maybe for a limited period of time)?

Isn't it that they bought an exclusive right on the image (local or worldwide) and now you can't see the images because they are not on sale anymore (maybe for a limited period of time)?

No.
For example, I'm exclusive which means my editorials and plussed images are on direct sale on Getty, as well as on iS. All other files are not visible within my port there, but are findable, e.g. via Google Images with that tacky, untrue message. These are still on sale on iStock, they are RF, and so will the OP's be. (And also the OP's and other indies' pics will mostly be elsewhere as Paws said.)