She's Collected Countless of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and You Can't Stop Her.
The makers of Pokémon introduced fans to the trading card game Diamond and Pearl set during 2007, including a Bonsly trading card. In this card, Gen IV stone creature appears by illustrator the talented Harada in an unusual situation. On the card, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo can be seen fallen and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, however. As its move Fake Tears, this Pokémon aims to manipulate the other player's mood in the hopes of lowering their attack. Unforgettable artwork, right? Electroacoustic harpist Emily certainly thinks so. And she's got a collection book containing over 300 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.
The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights
That's not everything she has either. She has acquired twenty reverse foil versions of the Bonsly card, portraying the tyke with shiny foil everywhere but the central artwork. The crown jewel, however, turns out to be the PSA 6-graded reverse holographic of Bonsly. Certainly, it isn't a mint-condition original Charizard card. Yet, do you possess a quirky, almost perfect card of Bonsly kept in its eternal glory? I didn't think so.
Origins of the Collection
She invested a large part of this year gathering every 2007 Bonsly card available on the market. She initially learned about the out-of-print card earlier this year, while talking about the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with a staff member in a nearby store. The weeping Omanyte was in the running, just like the lonely Cubone in an amusement park. However, the one that The sobbing Bonsly, also known as Bonsly #17, that caught Hopkins's attention.
The Design and Inspiration
Bonsly draws clear inspiration from miniature trees, that are commonly placed in planters featuring holes for drainage. These are meant to aid growth, so much so that enthusiasts advise one another to add holes in their containers if they don't already have one. They can also be positioned on shallow pots without holes, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist caretakers arrange their bonsai to look like outdoor scenes. Bonsly is the former, which explains the hole.
The Infamous Hole Card
Even with this reasonable background, however, The company appears somewhat a little too concerned with Bonsly's hole. Even merch including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a cavity on the underside of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of the Pokémon is weeping or at ease: It features a hole. The opening is a fundamental aspect of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 became a meme in collector circles because of its distinctive hole, and also because of its status. Up until last year, Bonsly #71 was the only version featuring Bonsly included in the series where many of its monsters usually appear in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, if you wanted a Bonsly card, you were stuck with the hole version.
The Collector's Passion
"When I saw Bonsly among the selections of infamous cards, I felt I discovered my favorite one," Emily states via email, mentioning how she felt astonished that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She admits freely to tell you her fondness for the Bonsly card is completely useless, but she didn't care. The initial interest became a full-blown obsession, as Hopkins bought each available Bonsly card she could possibly find. She soon developed a habit of visiting her favorite shop regularly, and was dubbed by workers as "Bonsly Girl". The store began putting any new Bonsly #71 cards they obtained only for her. Most of these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she mentions, calculating that she's spent approximately four hundred dollars just on the binder alone.
Market Trends and Value
These days, excellent this Bonsly card may reach prices of $14.99. While that's on the higher end, standard Bonsly #71 cards usually go for $4 and above. This rise in cost roughly aligns with the time Emily began building her set, though there are likely several factors at play. Even though the card is notorious with enthusiasts, her online content about it have also garnered countless views. As news about this card continues to spread to new fans, it's possible that the price of Bonsly #71 cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, collectors mention how card market costs are skyrocketing in 2025 overall.
No Signs of Stopping
Emily remains undeterred, however.
"What's incredible remains that some supporters and enthusiasts of the YouTube channel have mailed their Bonsly cards her way to add to my collection, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, the audience feel admiration and motivation by this project.
"For years, I wished to do this," an observer mentions. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card
