Why do better MC cartridges cost a fortune?

Halcro, if you are right it will make me happy, but I would like to hear what other very experienced audiophiles can say. It may also be a problem of defining "better" objectively. As I understand, correct me if I am wrong, no MC can compete with 'best' MMs in terms of coherence and impact.

Inna,
If someone is willing to pay $10,000-$15,000 for a MC cartridge.....the least he would expect (I imagine) would be to be able to instantly identify his precious treasure from the ’riff-raff’.
Imagine his consternation if he can’t......😱
I say he can’t........

I won't argue, I don't know.
Michael Fremer must've upset many people with what he said. Even worse, that table and arm are thought by many to be one of the handful of the very best regardless of price.

Fremer also appears to confirm that turntable, tonearm and phono stage are all far more important than cartridge. Cartridge must be excellent too, of course.

Halcro- have you compared say the Airtight (not even the Supreme, but the original PC-1) to the comparable Lyra (which at the time, was a Titan i, except for the "limited" production Olympus)?
I did, on my turntable, tonearm and system, and though the cartridges were comparable in price, they did things differently. The Lyra was by far more dramatic, spectacular highs and impactful bass. The Airtight did nothing dramatic at first blush, but lots more texture and depth to the music; by contrast the Lyra seemed spotlit in the highs. Perhaps that’s a matter of taste and system synergy because I know lot’s of folks who like the later Atlas, which is considered extremely articulate.
Is your proposition that a cheap MM is going to sound every bit as good as something in this realm? (And the cartridges I mentioned are nowhere near the top priced ones these days).
I do know that one manufacturer whose opinion I value said he preferred an old Ortofon to the current high end Ortofons but I’m not sure he was talking about the Anna, though he had both old and new at hand and was playing them on an EMT 927.
PS: I noticed you were talking about "vintage MM/MC." What about current in production MM?