I know I paid under $300 (around $240?) for my Emerald Prototype OW last summer. I got somewhere in the middle of the run (I’d have to figure out what number, I don’t honestly remember!). I’d been wanting an emerald one for several years and since the prototypes were up, I figured an extra hundred or so for something special (and with all the extra ‘battle scars’) was worth it to me. I just waited it out until the price was in my range (and I was able to catch the end of an auction :))
Why not try for one of the Black Violet ones coming up if the ones currently are too high for you? Gives you a little more time to save some pennies too to snag a beauty 😈 The prototypes really are worth snagging one! The emerald ow pop up on ebay once in a while and usually multiply to a couple around the same time, but then disappear for long stints, but they do pop up.