It was true when it they first came out- the prices have dropped significantly since then, although there is some fluxuation between servers.
If I get bored enough while waiting to pass out candy I'll look up the prices on Remora and compare them to a couple of different server's prices.
Edit- Ok, I got bored enough
I compared the prices for the materials to make the BLU AF leg pc, the Magus Shalwar.
Remora prices (my server)
Gold Chain: ~65-70k (down from a high of 200k+)
Velvet Clothe: ~7k-10k
Flan Meat: 100-1,000
Imp. Silk Clothe- 46-50k (down from a high of 60k)
Imp. Mythril Pc x2: 7-8k each (down from a high of 30k each)
Est total cost now: 140k for the BLU leg AF
total cost with high prices: 331k
Asura Prices
Gold Chain- 96k-100k (high of 350k

)
Velvet Cloth- 5-9k (high of 150k each)
Flan Meat- 700-2k
Imp. Silk Cloth- 50k (high of 100k)
Imp Mythril Pc x2-6k each (high of 290k each)
Est total cost now: 173k
High price total: 892k
Phoenix prices
Gold chain- 70-75k (140k highest)
Velvet cloth- 36-40k (100k highest)
Flan meat- 3k (9k highest)
Imp silk cloth 50 (100k highest)
Imp mythril pc x2 7k each (90.3k each highest0
Est total cost now: 182k
High price total: 529k
So Remora prices for the BLU AF Leg armor has fallen
57%, Asura
81% and Phoenix has fallen
66% since the last recorded high prices according to FFXI AH.
Also- SE had their reasons for doing the new AF like they have. They even explained it back in July.
The artifact quests are continuations of the previously available "An Empty Vessel," "Luck of the Draw," and "No Strings Attached" quests. Like the artifact quests for other jobs, there will be three quests for each new job that the player must complete in order to attain the artifact weapon and two pieces of armor.
The other three pieces of artifact armor will not be available in coffers, but instead can be obtained by a new method. The Aht Urhgan areas are for high-level players, and placing coffers in these areas would make the artifact quests significantly more difficult than those for the other jobs.