How good is saffron? (Not THAT good)

[ST.George]

In Woolies the other day searching 4 ingredients for my 1st attempt at a seafood paella, I was hunting 4 saffron to colour and enhance flavour of this hopefully delicious dish.
 
Found it in the herbs aisle in the form of a small plastic vial containing about 20 fine threads. The price was about $18. The Aussie product made from imported saffron was priced at $1,410 per 10 grams.
Therefore the kilo price is $141,000. 
  This is almost as expensive as politicians' brains which r infinitely xpensive as not enough can b found 2 register weight on any known scale.
Ask Tony - he's a Rhodes scholar! 
  Anyway, the meal was a flop coz I burned the arborio rice base by not timing properly - bloody home brew beer 2 blame again - just as well I didn't bother with the saffron!
 

[Kev Murphy]

Um....are you sure that it wasn't a mis-interpretation by the press, about Tony being a Road Scholar?

[Aussieboy]

Once you see what goes into growing harvesting and preparing saffron you can almost understand the price.

[Brock]

Yes,

Saffron strands are more expensive that gold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mna7iUIP2fM

[Pocket STocker]

It's expensive stuff, but oh so very nice 

[saaz]

If you are going to use it, you have to get the dish right. Time to try another seafood risotto again I think...

[Kev Murphy]

I will pass on the taste test... any flavoring product that costs more than the dish it is applied to, is way out of my budget.