Surely that's the issue here?, the prices have been kept artificially high by dealers being less than candid about quantity, no one minds paying a fair price for a good record even if it is getting played to death! Potentially they'll always come back if they're good enough, look at things like Troy Dodds-El Camino or Ascots-Mir-A-Don both played to death years ago and available for 15-20 for ages, try finding them now.
As Mark says 'you pays your money.....'
That said, think I'll hold off the Royal Esquires a while longer.