It is a general phenomenon in IT hardware that discontinued models are more expensive than their (better) successors after a certain point. This is because previous buyers know "their model" and have already installed the drivers. So if you want to integrate another scanner of the same type into your system or replace an old one (e.g. due to a defect), you don't want to bother with new drivers and a clean uninstallation of the old drivers. That's why discontinued models (not only for scanners, but also for printers) are in great demand, but are becoming increasingly scarce, and as a result the price goes up. Those who have never had a scanner from the same manufacturer will of course always go for the new model, especially if it is also cheaper.