Neither did I practise Freemarket or Wealth, but I built the Planetary Energy Grid, though... And had the highest pop-size, tech, and income. On the Trancend level I find it very hard to get the Secret Projects done in time, and to lead the tech race.
However I sat tech rate to 0% when I was aiming for economic victory and the AI aliens pushed forth on tech and got missiles.
Kinda risky gamble.
This price below 10K is the first time I have seen. Usually above 20K as you say. When it's so low as I experienced, it might have been caused by the other human factions nearly eradicated, and two poor-economic AI alien races building lotsa units to go to war.
It would have risen to above 20K quickly, I guess.
So I was lucky.