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The Pokémon Company released collectors to the Pokémon TCG DP expansion in the year 2007, featuring the Bonsly illustration. On this artwork, the fourth generation Rock Pokémon is portrayed by illustrator Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising situation. Here, this pre-evolution is depicted toppled and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, though. As its move Fake Tears, Bonsly is trying to influence their opponent's emotions with the goal of reducing their attack. Unforgettable artwork, isn't it? Musician and harpist Hopkins absolutely agrees. She owns a binder with 305 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.

The Entire Assortment with Key Pieces

That's not the whole collection also. She has acquired twenty holo reverse versions of the Bonsly card, portraying the small Pokémon with metallic accents all over except the central artwork. The crown jewel, though, is the PSA 6-graded reverse holographic Bonsly card. Sure, it's not a mint-condition original Charizard card. But do you have an amusing, nearly pristine Bonsly illustration kept in its eternal glory? Probably not.

How It All Began

She invested much of 2025 accumulating each Bonsly card from 2007 she can possibly find. She initially learned regarding this discontinued card earlier this year, during a discussion the most cursed cards among collectors with a staff member at a local shop. Crying Omanyte was in the running, just like Cubone by itself in an amusement park. But it was Crying Bonsly, or card number 17, that grabbed Emily's focus.

The Design and Inspiration

The design of Bonsly is based on bonsai trees, which are often grown in containers featuring holes for drainage. These are meant to aid growth, to the extent that growers encourage each other to add holes in their containers if they don't already have one. Bonsai can also be placed on low dishes hole-free, called suiban, where the water stays may assist growers style their trees to mimic nature vistas. Bonsly fits the initial category, thus the hole exists.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Even with this reasonable background, yet, Pokémon's creators looks a bit overly focused regarding the hole in Bonsly. Even merchandise including stuffed Bonsly ensure they feature a cavity below of Bonsly. It makes no difference whether the portrayal of the Pokémon is weeping or content: It will display a hole. The hole is a key element of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 gained meme status among fans because of the famous hole, as well as its status. Until recently, the card remained the sole iteration featuring Bonsly printed in a game where many of its monsters are commonly shown in multiple editions. For sixteen years, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you needed to accept for hole Bonsly.

A Growing Obsession

"When I discovered this card on the list of oddball cards, I felt I had found my new favorite," Hopkins shares over email, noting that she was surprised to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to inform you her passion for this particular card has no real value, yet that didn't stop her. The appreciation became a full-blown obsession, as Hopkins bought every Bonsly #71 card she could possibly find. She soon developed a practice of going to her favorite shop on a weekly basis, and became known among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". The store began putting any new copies of Bonsly #71 they obtained only for her. Most of these cards cost between $1 and $3, she mentions, estimating that her total expenditure is approximately four hundred dollars for the collection book.

Market Trends and Value

Currently, pristine Bonsly #71 cards may reach prices of nearly $15. While that's on the higher end, standard versions are often priced at starting at $4. The upward trend roughly aligns with when Hopkins started collecting seriously, although there are probably multiple reasons. Although Bonsly #71 is well-known with enthusiasts, Emily's social media updates about it have also garnered countless views. With information of its existence keeps growing to new fans, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. At the very least, investors mention how trading card game values are climbing in 2025 in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Nothing can halt her, though.

"What's incredible is that a few followers and fans of the YouTube channel have sent their own Bonsly cards to Emily for her album, and I am keeping them secure indefinitely," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, fans are impressed and inspired by her Bonsly binder.

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