Alien Poker
Williams, 1980
Atlantis
Bally, 1989
Beat the Clock
Bally, 1985
Big Game
Stern Electronics, 1980
Big Guns
Williams, 1987
Black Hole
Gottlieb, 1981
Black Knight
Williams, 1980
Catacomb
Stern Electronics, 1981The recent 'Best Pin For $1500' thread had some great discussion.
I feel it is much more challenging to find a good pin for under $1000. Luckily pins at this price point can really help people flesh out their collections without going bankrupt.
I will get it started: Comet
Over the years I have personally scored a HS2 Getaway, Super Mario bros, and Starship Troopers (each machine under just under 1k) and would recommend any of those. However, the days of finding those deals are long gone I suppose...
So based on current pricing I'm guessing Lethal Weapon 3 or Street Fighter 2 are your best options...
Classics! The classics market is almost dead right now. Those games from the 70s and 80s are still a blast to play. And you can find lots of them for less than a grand. I know a lot of people don't find them as exciting as a brand new DMD game, but they can be just as much fun. And the early SS machines are pretty easy to work on. So easy to move, easy to work on, and a hoot to play. Sign me up for a Mata Hari! (oh, too late, I own one).
Of course, for that money, they will not be collector quality. They will be a good honest game. And they will have signs of age, but you can play them hundreds of times and still just be getting to know them. Show your mad skills on machines that were built to just take your quarter!
Gladiators is a fun sub $1k. Mousin Around is an incredible sub $1k machine if you can find it for that. Even pretty nice ones are just barely over though at like $1250-300
Quoted from fattrain:However, the days of finding those deals are long gone I suppose...
You never know. I found my nice unfaded FT for $1k three months ago 
Most of the non-"A" list early 80s Stern/Ballys (so not including Fathom, Centaur, etc.) can be had for 1k or under. Some of my favorites: Skateball, Frontier, Beat the Clock (rare!), Catacomb, Seawitch, Nine Ball, Embryon, and many others. If you like EMs then that is a whole world available to you for that price point as well.
Quoted from Kneissl:alien poker
I played this at PHoF about 5 or 6 years ago. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
I'd think about getting one if they ever showed up locally.
Robert
If you're not counting great deals or project machines...
Pinbot
Rollergames
Space Shuttle
Space Station
F14 Tomcast
Flash
Gorgar
Panthera
Striker Extreme
Black Hole
Genie
Count Down
Sinbad
High Speed
Cue Ball Wizard
Street Fighter II
Gladiators
That's what I come up with off the top of my head, at least. Oh, and that is ONLY the SS list, if we were going with EM I could rattle off another 50 probably.
Special Force
Strange Science
Quoted from kvan99:I'd pass on SF2 for in home use...way too easy.
Whaaaaaa?
SF2 is NOT an easy game by any stretch. I get why people don't care for it that much, as it doesn't play like a "traditional" pinball machine - it plays like a linear video game, like the game that inspired it - but I've never in my life played one that I would have considered "easy."
Quoted from The_Director:I found my nice unfaded FT for $1k three months ago
Wow. Nice score!
Lethal weapon 3 is real cool for the money...the problem is 95% of them are complete beaters. I have never run into a pin that is so often ragged to $ hi* as this game.
If I could find a surfin safari I would pick one up. They usually go for sub 1k.
+1 on rollergames.
hook is not do bad in a large collection...A little shallow but I like it.
jok erz is ok too.
Bally Atlantis is an awesome game and can be found for under $1000 fairly easy. Taxi still can be had for $1000 and under. Most early SS's are great choices. Paragon is so much fun. The list goes on and on.
Quoted from joetechbob:Currently really digging Laser War which is ~$1k or less; can also find Taxi at ~$1k if patient.
I've been looking for both these titles at that price range for 2 years in the Delaware Valley area, and while there have been one or two of each - they were not in any respectible/presentable condition, and not priced sub 1k. If you got those titles for $800 a piece in C+ - B- to B+ condition, I have $1699 with your name on it, or a trade 
I picked up my SWE1 ($1000) Elektra ($600) and Medusa ($600) all from the same operator. And he delivered them. There's still deals out there. Just have to keep eyes open.
Sorcerer
Sinbad
Joker Poker
Hollywood Heat
Harlem Globetrotters
Big Game
Dr. Dude is a great game for around that price.
Mystic is a great one too.
Time Machine
Strikes and Spares (Bally)
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St. Louis, MO
I can tell you the best parts under $1k 
Rotterdam
