SkidMark said:
Hutch stuff goes for so much for 3 reasons:
There wasn't much of it in the first place.
It was light, and therefore not as strong.
There are a few vintagebmx.com high rollers who like to get into bidding wars so they can have bragging rights later.
Actually, there was quite a bit of Hutch stuff out there, with the exception of Aerospeed cranks and a few other components. They were higher end bikes, they had a strong image, many of the best pros were on their BMX and Freestyle teams, and their bikes all had "that look".
In addition many of the parts were super trick, made of the best materials, and had superior finishes to their competition.
Many spend the big bucks to own the stuff they always wanted when they were a kid. I don't know if it's so much about bragging rights. I know it has never been that for me.
I only own two Hutch bikes currently, one is the first bike I found back in 1999. I always wanted one when I was a kid, but our family was not of the means to buy me a $400+ bike. I drooled over them for hours at Wheeler Dealer, had the opportunity to ride one, and dreamed of the day I could own one. That day came in 1999 when I was way past thinking about bikes and a was lucky enough to take a wrong turn and spot one at a garage sale. $40 later it was mine and my world has never been the same.
That first Hutch will never leave my collection. Not because of the $ value, but because it still feels as cool to ride a chrome Hutch as it did when I was 13.