Why does a shop sign cost so much?

Probably because it's like a permanent advertisement for whatever you want, and once you purchase the sign, you can update it as often as you like.

I think its kinda lame.. I never read the darn things. -.- In the very begining shops in Mag to Magnagorans were cheaper then the darn shopsigns >.< Id just as soon read a flamed & preserved letter on the ground than the shop sign -.-

Well, you can do whatever you want with it, and change it whenever, and it's sure as heck better than a flamed letter.

200k was a bit steep though.

Yeah 200k is alot...and Skyla stole the design that I put in my old shop sign!

Actually, the sign was still there after you sold it. The signs don't disappear with new owners.

Yes I didnt mean the sign itself, I meant its contents. the rose that took me forever to create, she even kept the little note i personally wrote to my customers.

Have you asked her politely to remove them? If she just wants a graphic, there's lots to be found, free for use (usually with just keeping the signature as credit) with a web search for "ASCII ART".

I think it's Joan Stark's gallery that I've gotten some things from in the past, but the site can be hard to get into because of the amount of traffic it gets. Right now, it's exceeded its quota so I can't go in and double-check.

If polite fails, try telling her that you'll appeal to authority if she doesn't change the sign. The city could shut her down, or Estarra might even be sympathetic. Just don't get your hopes too high on that count, because when I left Achaea it was in a serious fit of temper over the fact that they thought the intellectual labors of the players were utter, worthless garbage.