Hearing many different prices from $1000  - $2000
 
Anyone know?

There's a '97 California Special on eBay with a picture of the '97 price list. The Epic 4 is shown there with a list of $1750. Probably very close to the same for '96.

My '96 epic was ?1200 when bought new. No idea what the exchange rate was back then though.
 
Graeme

...and, interestingly, jazzyvee has posted a photo of a 1997 pricelist (in dollars) in the classifieds.
 
Graeme

Back then the Epic was a new model.  I believe it was around $2000.