Yes, get 1 affordable game.
Let all your friends and family know that you enjoy collecting pinball machines (more eyeballs helping)
Join a club or league, and share your game with like-minded pinheads (networking)
Support your local pinball show, take your game there (networking, and free play at the show for helping)
Offer to tech for a location operator, at a highly discounted rate (free play, leads, and more networking)

If you in looking into collecting, now is not the best time. If you are young, wait out this bubble on the expensive stuff. Search some information on baby boomer demographics.

These are not an investment -- look at the jukes, and bingo machines. If you can't afford to loose all the money you put into these, then you should stay out of owning them.

buy two from the same seller, if you can get reduced shipping

Then, sell one to a local Millionaire