Realistic price for Nellie would be in the $4K range. Remember that the manual ball lift was dropped ( saving $$'s) and electronic chimes incorporated instead of real ones ( again saving $$$'s). Sterns new SPIKE system is an integrated board which once again would save some $$'s
Having read on Pinside what Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres have to say, the spiel is that the manual lift would scare DMD players away and electronic chimes so operators can turn down the sound.
Sounds like a lot of hot air to me because the price tag alone will mean that hardly any will be sited and although trying to not be too cynical, the scaling back coupled with the high price suggests a price gouge.
There is of course a basic price to manufacture ANY pinball.. even if it had one flipper and 1 bumper, it would still have a minimum price to produce. The extras that come after that are pennies that add up. Problem here is that there aren't really any extras apart from the score reels. These are controlled by stepping motors which is EXACTLY how Retro Pinball did it with KOD which can still be bought for UNDER $4K.