She's Collected Countless of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and You Can't Stop Her.
The makers of Pokémon unveiled the world to the card series Diamond and Pearl edition during 2007, including the Bonsly card. On this artwork, the fourth generation rock-type is shown by illustrator the talented Harada in an unusual pose. On the card, this pre-evolution appears fallen and crying. But don't misunderstand, yet. Similar to its attack Fake Tears suggests, Bonsly aims to sway the other player's mood with the goal of reducing their damage output. Iconic piece, no? Electroacoustic harpist Emily Hopkins is a firm believer. She possesses an album with 305 cards of Bonsly to prove it.
The Full Collection and Its Highlights
However, that's not everything she has either. She obtained 20 reverse holographic editions of the Bonsly card, portraying the small Pokémon with shiny foil all over except the main image. The crown jewel, yet, proves to be the PSA 6-rated holo reverse Bonsly edition. Certainly, it isn't a mint-condition original Charizard card. However, can you claim a quirky, almost perfect Bonsly illustration preserved in all its splendor? I thought as much.
The Start of the Obsession
She invested much of 2025 accumulating all available Bonsly cards from that year available on the market. She initially learned about the out-of-print card in recent months, while talking about the notoriously odd cards in the Pokémon TCG with an employee at a local shop. Crying Omanyte was in the running, along with the forever alone Cubone on a park ride. Yet it was The sobbing Bonsly, or the seventeenth card, which captured her interest.
The Design and Inspiration
Bonsly is obviously influenced on bonsai trees, which are often grown in planters with holes at the bottom. These are meant to aid growth, so much so that enthusiasts encourage each other to add holes in their containers if they don't already have one. Bonsai can also be placed on shallow pots without holes, referred to as suiban, and the retained water may assist growers arrange their bonsai to look like nature vistas. Bonsly fits the initial category, thus the hole exists.
A Memorable and Notorious Card
Although this makes sense, however, The company looks a bit overly focused regarding the hole in Bonsly. Even merch like Bonsly plushes always incorporate a hollow cavern at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference whether the portrayal of this particular Bonsly appears sad or at ease: It features the hole. This hole represents an intrinsic part of how Bonsly looks. Card number 71 gained meme status among fans because of its distinctive hole, as well as its status. For years before, Bonsly #71 was the single type of Bonsly card included in the series where numerous creatures are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, should you desire a Bonsly card, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.
The Collector's Passion
"When I saw Bonsly in the list of these cursed cards, I knew I had found my new favorite," she explains in a message, noting that she was surprised to have never seen it before. She admits freely to inform you her fondness for Bonsly #71 is completely useless, but it didn't matter. The initial interest became a major fixation, as Hopkins bought each available Bonsly card available to her. She soon developed a habit of stopping by her local card shop regularly, and was dubbed among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". The shop started setting aside any recently acquired Bonsly #71 cards that came in aside just for Hopkins. The majority of these go for a few dollars, she mentions, estimating that she has invested approximately four hundred dollars just on the binder alone.
Market Trends and Value
These days, excellent Bonsly #71 cards might be valued at nearly $15. While that is a premium price, ordinary versions are often priced at $4 and above. This rise in cost corresponds to the time Emily began her collection in earnest, though there are likely various influences. Even though this card is famous with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts regarding the card have also garnered millions of views. With information of its existence continues to spread to new fans, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. At the very least, investors say that TCG prices are climbing in 2025 overall.
No Signs of Stopping
Emily remains undeterred, though.
"What's incredible remains that certain fans and fans from her channel have mailed copies of Bonsly to Emily to expand the set, and they will remain these cards protected always," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, fans are amazed and encouraged by her Bonsly binder.
"I've long desired to do this," a viewer notes. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card
