My Honda Element 2006 wont start and this is what my mechanic said

Common practice: it’s called a core charge... where as the price of a part is the cost plus the old part. The auto parts distributor will take to old part and rebuild it. If the mechanic does not return the old part, he has to pay the core charge, or more commonly, is not refunded the core charge. Also, the picture you took is of a 06 starter, so unless the mechanic had another element in the shop and had enough time to remove its starter to show it to you, then that one is most likely your old one.