Agreed - I could never afford a new set, would have to be filthy stinking rich to even consider it - which I might, though, because I do love the pickups. The Q-switch was only $12 or so, the pickup set was something like $250? Apparently it's a pretty old set, because they don't use these pots anymore, so maybe 20 years old or so, they've just been changing hands over the years. They're in amazing shape considering that!
One thing to keep in mind is that they aren't just pickups, the preamp/filter is integral to the idea - if you like the Alembic system then you understand their value. They're still expensive of course!