The carded EEL without AFA grading is less than $100. But just because it got graded, it's now worth $1,200? Whatever.
Although I have spent some serious coin on international figures (i.e. Cobra White Mortal), I am not going to pay 1,180 US for packaging (the figure is not even worth 20 bucks in my books). In my case, the White Mortal was worth it as nobody else in the collecting community I know claims to have one. Carded EELS pop up on ebay once in a while.