Have you seen Django Unchained? FULL SPOILERS

[Barozi]

axumblade said:

Barozi said:

After they were exposed I actually expected either an immediate gun fight or that they would only sell her for much more or not at all. But no he just said give me $12000 for the girl and let's forget about Eskimo Joe.
It just doesn't make sense. $12000 for a "worthless" ($300) house slave would've been a far better deal for Calvin Candie than $12000 for a fighter who is indeed worth several thousand dollars.

If I remember it right, I don't think they were really planning on paying that amount since they were going to go back to "get their lawyer." 

yeah I got that but still, they had that kind of money and it's his god damn wife. You'd think that he gladly pays $12k to get his wife back. Furthermore I'm not saying that they needed to offer exactly $12k. A few thousand dollars would've been enough. Django got 1/3 of all bountys during the winter. They got at least $12k from that stagecoach robbery gang, so $4000 for Django at the very very least. Should've been enough.