Why do better MC cartridges cost a fortune?

In this day and age of $250K speakers, $50K+ preamps, amps, $35K phono stages, $300K+ turntables (as shown above), and $50K speaker cables, what is the big deal about $5-$10K phono cartridges?

In 1978 The Audio Critic tested and found the Koetsu to be the best sounding mc phono cartridge. But was appalled by its high price - $1000!!! Today I just saw an ad for an Opus 1 mc cartridge - used: $10,000 (list price $15k)!!! I am going to wait for the Marie Antoinette mc cartridge. "Let them eat cake"!!! Such are the times we live in! Trophies for the 1%!!!

I can only imagine the hours that are spent voicing a top LOMC design and then they are usually built by hand one at a time. This costs money. These are not a commodity to be judged by weight or only cost of materials, although that is quite high too as all parts are highest spec and unique to that design.

Economies of scale are not in play and amortization of the design cost is poor as not many of a given model are sold.

Dave

Why does everyone have such a problem with value pricing. If company X wants to sell something that delivers a 1% increase in perceived performance over anything else they have then they are free to (and by economic theory bound to) charge as much as the market is prepared to pay for that improvement. The manufacturing costs or other fixed costs are irrelevant, as long as they are covered in the long run. And, As others have pointed out, in the context of a six figure analog system changing the cartridge is in fact one of the cheaper ways of upgrading.

Big deal is that the increasing number of audiophiles cannot afford anything real good new and like second rate citizens have to chase things on a 'flea' market.