The laws of supply and demand apply for orchids and other plants too. Once a plant gets hyped as a really great one, everyone wants one and it takes a while for the growers to supply a larger number of plants. Then the price will drop, and they'll be widely available. It's not like manufacturing where the latest toy can be mass produced for the holiday season, right? It takes at least 2, and maybe 3 years to grow an orchid to near blooming size.
Also, Buyer Beware!! applies. Maybe some grower has a bunch of one type of orchid, and they decide to promote it as the next great plant . . . be sure you get those recommendations from private owners of the plant, not from a promo that originated with a grower. It might grow well and bloom prolifically for somebody in Hawaii or Florida, but indoors in New York is a whole different world to an orchid . .
You're right, $60 is way too much to pay for any orchid, sight unseen. I think even $30 is too much. Make a trip to the closest orchid show coming to somewhere near you, and you'll be much happier with what you can buy for that kind of money.
@Ursula knows the shows and growers up in your neck of the woods.
