You know in some ways, things like this make me glad that I've cheaped out on the Compaq and iOne 'boards, rather than the Filcos, because the Filcos aren't really that much higher of quality to warrant the difference in price.
I can't judge all Model M keyboards, but the one I have from 1987 is definitely on the higher end of quality these days. Sure, it pings like crazy, and the springs are getting mushy, but hey, it still works. Although I like my new set of blank black keys from Unicomp, unfortunately, the keys make it look cheaper.
The Model F is just on another level of quality entirely. In my mind, the Model F is the perfect balance of quality with excess. The keyboard is older than I am, but still has a very crisp, albeit noisy, mechanism. If it weren't for the fact that I'm getting too used to this Compaq keyboard, the Model F would still be my daily driver.
If Topre keyboards are on the same level of quality as the Model F keyboard, I guess I can understand the cost.
Looking at some of the "cheap" keyboards that you can get used, such as the Compaq MX 11800, and the Dell AT101W, I can see how the keyboards are still of decent quality, and decent price. The problem is when you go cheaper than that, such as the Chicony I've got. Any cheaper than the Dell or the Compaq, and no matter what the mechanism, you haven't got a good keyboard anymore.
While companies still seek to make things even cheaper, I'm starting to go the other way, to try to find things like double-shot keycaps, lasered keys, and possibly, metal keys.
When did we start to get so used to absolute garbage?