Yeah, $1500 is nuts. They did do 4 kickstarter ships which should be hard to find and might command a little more money, but I'd think about $80-100 is probably fair for a complete starter pack in good condition.
I like the use of chits instead of dice, though it makes for a TON of pieces. The game is beautiful, but a bit cumbersome to store.
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
Love the game, but haven't had occasion to play it in years. Too bad, just too many games, too little time. As someone with notoriously bad dice luck, I do appreciate using chits tho.