With the quality put into these figures, we have seen a decline in the basic figure assortments that just should not be. If you've read any of Jesse's reviews, you'll note how things like articulation and detail have been reduced in the TSC 2006 (compared to ROTS 2005) at the $6 pricepoint, however they're available at the $10-$12 pricepoint when these "vintage" figures could easily be placed in the TSC line.
It costs a lot more to manufacture a toy with 18 joints than it does a toy with 5 joints. Add rising oil costs (oil is used not only for distribution but to make plastic) and give it the spiffy collector's packaging, and $10.00 honestly isn't unreasonable.
Losing the spiffy packaging which really is only a selling point to carded collectors and noting that oil costs have already been added in terms of the increase in price in the basic line (from $4.99 to as much as $6.99) and all that is left is the cost of manufacturing the toy. While it does cost more to manufacture a toy with added joints, it hasn't prevented Hasbro from doing so in the basic line, they're just not doing so wisely. A case in point would be Sora Bulq who has 14 pts of articulation, which is just perfect for a figure in the basic line, where they went wrong is they put the added leg articulation at the ankles and not the knees where they would have been some help.
Hasbro has shown they can do a well articulated and detailed figure in the basic line, they know they just don't always need to based on what we have shown them. I think the continuation of the "vintage" line would be easier to swallow if we knew that the figures would later be re-released in the basic line. So far we have had good signs, R2-D2 and Vader re-decoed into the basic line, but then we get stuff like Boba Fett's legs being re-used on an older Fett and the exclusive Stormies when we need Stormies in the basic line.
Ideally, I'd like to see that the "vintage" line as is be an exclusive to one store, say Target, for those who really want the cards. As an exclusive it would be a limited release for a certain amount of time, then afterwards each figure in the line would be thrown into the basic line for those of us who could live without the special packaging. It would be nice if Hasbro would do that, not only would it acknowledge that they are looking out for collectors, it would also benefit the kids they're trying to market to as well since parents are not likely to buy the $12 figures.