Treasures for a level 8 party

[Chester]

I was just wondering . . . what's the highest value for a single item you'd allow a 7th or 8th level party? We're not necessarily paying much attention to wealth by the book, but I feel like I've been reluctant to give them treasure items worth more tham 4,000-5,000 gold each.

[Gildedragon]

which is about 1k more than what the MIC presents as the item level for 8th level (ie: 1 9th level item)
by the MIC players of eight level ought have 2 3k-4kgp items

Though also by those guidelines, a single 9th level item is about right in power level if their treasure is likewise reduced

[Kazudo]

If books aren't a concern, the value shouldn't be the most important part about it. I once owned a treasure in-game whose book value I later learned was around 90kgp at level 5. The problem was that it essentially did nothing and was so rare that no appraiser could give me an accurate value to it, only collectors wanted it, and the appraised value was either too ridiculously high or suspiciously low.

90,000gp's worth of items is pretty worthless when you can't do a thing with it. It doesn't help that it was the size of a horse and really difficult to keep around.

[Amphetryon]

To expand on Kazudo's point, if the items you're giving them are only for resale, and have no primary use to the party, you can theoretically increase the GP value of the treasures you're giving, because that number will be reduced by the resale. If the items you're giving have immediate, practical value to the party, then the GP value of the treasures is more in line with their actual in-game value.

In any event, having the group go over or under expected WBL for a short stretch shouldn't be game-breaking, provided that you're able to re-balance the cash flow reasonably quickly, and provided the group is mature enough not to whine over the short-term reduction in the amount of loot they're getting.