She's Gathered Hundreds of Pokemon Hole Cards, and She's Unstoppable.
The Pokémon Company introduced collectors to the Pokémon TCG Diamond & Pearl expansion back in 2007, showcasing the Bonsly card. On this artwork, Gen IV rock-type is shown by designer Harada-san in an unusual situation. In the image, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo is depicted fallen and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, though. Similar to its attack the move Fake Tears, Bonsly is trying to influence their opponent's emotions to reducing their attack. Unforgettable artwork, no? Musician and harpist Hopkins certainly thinks so. She possesses an album filled with 305 Bonsly cards to show for it.
The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights
But that isn't the whole collection either. She has acquired twenty holo reverse editions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the small Pokémon in reflective foil all over except the primary illustration. The crown jewel, yet, proves to be the professionally graded PSA 6 reverse holo of Bonsly. Admittedly, it isn't a high-grade Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess a goofy, nearly pristine card of Bonsly maintained in all its splendor? I thought as much.
The Start of the Obsession
She invested much of 2025 accumulating each Bonsly card from 2007 that she could locate. She discovered regarding this discontinued card earlier this year, while debating the most infamous cards among collectors with a worker at her favorite card shop. The weeping Omanyte was a contender, as was the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. Yet it was Crying Bonsly, also known as Bonsly #17, that grabbed her interest.
The Design and Inspiration
The design of Bonsly is based on bonsai trees, which are often grown in pots that have drainage holes. These are meant to support healthy development, so much so that fans encourage each other to drill holes in their containers when none are present. They can also be positioned in shallow containers without holes, known as suiban, and the collected moisture could aid enthusiasts style their trees to mimic natural landscapes. Bonsly is the former, thus the hole exists.
A Memorable and Notorious Card
Although this makes sense, yet, The Pokémon Company seems almost overly focused about the drainage feature. Also, products including stuffed Bonsly ensure they feature an empty space at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. Regardless if the depiction of this particular Bonsly is crying or content: It's going to show a hole. This hole represents an intrinsic part of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 gained meme status in collector circles because of its distinctive hole, as well as its rarity. Until recently, this Bonsly card remained the sole iteration featuring Bonsly included in the series where numerous creatures are commonly shown in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, if you wanted a card of Bonsly, you had to settle with this specific design.
Emily's Dedication
"Upon noticing this card on the list of oddball cards, I felt I located my new favorite," Hopkins shares via email, noting that it was unexpected to have missed it until then. She is quick to inform you her passion for the Bonsly card serves no practical purpose, but it didn't matter. The liking became a full-blown obsession, as Hopkins bought each available Bonsly card available to her. She soon developed a habit of visiting the nearby card store on a weekly basis, and earned the nickname among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". The shop started putting any new copies of Bonsly #71 that came in aside just for Hopkins. Most of these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she says, approximating her total expenditure is about $400 for the collection book.
Market Trends and Value
Nowadays, excellent this Bonsly card may reach prices of around fifteen dollars. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill versions are often priced at starting at $4. The upward trend more or less coincides with when Hopkins started collecting seriously, although there are probably multiple reasons. Even though this card is famous in the community, her online content regarding the card have also garnered countless views. As awareness of its existence keeps growing to a wider audience, it's possible that the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, investors say that trading card game values are soaring currently overall.
No Signs of Stopping
Emily remains undeterred, yet.
"The amazing thing is that certain fans and enthusiasts from her channel have sent their Bonsly cards to me for her album, and I am keeping these Bonsly safe forever," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, viewers are impressed and inspired by her collection.
"I've actually always wanted to attempt something similar," one commenter says. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card
