I always wondered what happened to Conley, now I know. Very sad.
One thing about special one-off projects, is that they are only worth what someone will pay. The fact that the creator spent "X" amount of time, and "X" amount of money doesn't guarantee the project will return even a small percentage of the investment. Unless some captain of industry, or head of state really wants it, then maybe, just maybe, you'll break even.
I look at it this way, if you spend a lot of money and time on something, its ok if you enjoy it. Then it has worth to you, even if you can't break even by selling it. Just enjoy what you got, and view the investment of time and energy as therapy!