She's Collected Numerous of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and You Can't Stop Her.

Pokémon creators introduced the world to the Pokémon TCG DP set in the year 2007, featuring a Bonsly trading card. Within this depiction, the Gen 4 Rock Pokémon appears by artist Harada-san in an unusual position. Here, the predecessor to Sudowoodo appears toppled and crying. However, don't mistake this, however. Like its ability Fake Tears, the little creature aims to manipulate their opponent's emotions with the goal of decreasing their attack. Memorable card, no? Harp player Emily Hopkins certainly thinks so. She owns a binder filled with 305 Bonsly illustrations as evidence.

The Full Collection Including Rare Finds

But that isn't the whole collection either. She has acquired twenty reverse foil versions of this particular card, which depicts the tyke in reflective foil everywhere but the primary illustration. The crown jewel, though, turns out to be the PSA 6-graded holo reverse of Bonsly. Certainly, it's not a mint-condition Charizard from the base set. But do you have a goofy, nearly pristine Bonsly card preserved in its eternal glory? Probably not.

Origins of the Collection

Hopkins has spent a large part of this year stockpiling all available Bonsly cards from that year available on the market. She initially learned regarding this discontinued card earlier this year, while debating the most cursed cards in the compendium with an employee at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was in the running, along with the forever alone Cubone at the theme park. Yet it was The sobbing Bonsly, aka card number 17, that caught her interest.

Behind Bonsly's Look

The design of Bonsly is based on bonsai trees, which are often grown in containers with holes at the bottom. These are meant to aid growth, in fact growers suggest to peers to add holes in their containers when none are present. They can also be positioned in shallow containers without holes, referred to as suiban, where the water stays could aid growers style their trees to look like outdoor scenes. Bonsly is the former, thus the hole exists.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Even with this reasonable background, though, Pokémon's creators looks a bit a little too concerned regarding the hole in Bonsly. Even merchandise such as Bonsly plush toys make sure to include a cavity below of the tree-like Pokémon. It doesn't matter if the illustration of the Pokémon is crying or at ease: It's going to show the hole. This hole represents a fundamental aspect of Bonsly's design. Card number 71 turned into an internet joke in collector circles because of its distinctive hole, in addition to its rarity. Until recently, the card was the only version of Bonsly card included in the series where numerous creatures are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, were you seeking a card of Bonsly, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"Upon noticing Bonsly in the list of these cursed cards, I knew I located my favorite one," Emily states over email, noting that it was unexpected to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to inform you her fondness for this particular card serves no practical purpose, yet that didn't stop her. The liking evolved into a major fixation, as she acquired each available Bonsly card she could possibly find. She quickly got into a habit of going to her favorite shop on a weekly basis, and was dubbed by workers as the Bonsly fan. They started putting any new Bonsly #71 cards that came in exclusively for Emily. Typically, these cards cost between $1 and $3, she notes, calculating that she has invested approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.

Rising Prices

Nowadays, mint-condition this Bonsly card may reach prices of $14.99. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill versions tend to cost starting at $4. That price increase more or less coincides with her starting point collecting seriously, though there are likely multiple reasons. Although Bonsly #71 is well-known with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts about it have also garnered millions of views. As awareness about this card keeps growing to a wider audience, it is likely that their market price may continue to shoot up. If nothing else, collectors mention how trading card game values are soaring in 2025 in general.

Unstoppable Determination

Hopkins cannot be stopped, though.

"The amazing thing is that a few followers and enthusiasts on social media have mailed copies of Bonsly to Emily to add to my collection, and she is preserving these Bonsly safe forever," Hopkins says. Far from being alarmed, the audience are amazed and encouraged by this project.

"I've actually always wanted to try this," an observer mentions. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card