Sorry to be so late on this thread, but I will comment anyway.
High prices for K1000s has been the norm for at least the last decade and are driven by the advice of multiple online sources as well as the equipment lists used by photography instructors at local schools. Here in the Portland, Oregon area, it is not unusual to see a clean and serviced K1000 go for $150 USD or more, body only.
That being said, higher than average value also extends to a few other camera models, for example:
- It is hard to find a clean MX for less than $200 USD
- Prices for Nikon FM and FE series are perennially high
- Olympus XA prices (original model) over $200 USD and often $300+
For those seeking the K1000 experience (full-manual mechanical K-mount with simple viewfinder), the usual suggestion is a KM or any of the many full-manual cameras from Ricoh, Chinon, or Cosina, most of which are fully mechanical. If K-mount is not required, 1970s vintage Minolta might be a good option. The bodies are robust and the optics quite good.
Steve