Type IV cassettes were always exorbitantly expensive both due to high cost and low demand (and rarity of the hardware which can record them well).

So, if you were able to afford a Nakamichi / Technics / Akai, then you'd be able to afford them back in the day.

Type IV (also known as Metal) cassettes came in stunning industrial designs – BASF, TDK, Maxell etc.

They were worth owing even if a Nakamichi was out of reach.

Yeah, I didn't argue otherwise. What I was trying to say is, you tend to be not bothered by the price tag if you can pay for a good deck.

I used to have a couple metal cassettes back in the day.