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Pokémon creators introduced the world to the trading card game Diamond and Pearl expansion in the year 2007, featuring the Bonsly illustration. In this card, Gen IV stone creature appears by illustrator Harada-san in an unusual pose. Here, the predecessor to Sudowoodo appears toppled and weeping. But don't misunderstand, however. Like its ability Fake Tears, the little creature is trying to influence their opponent's emotions in the hopes of reducing their damage output. Unforgettable artwork, isn't it? Musician and harpist Hopkins is a firm believer. She owns an album with 305 Bonsly cards to show for it.

Her Complete Set with Key Pieces

However, that's not everything she has also. She's got twenty holo reverse editions of this particular card, showing the tyke with metallic accents covering everything except the main image. The most valuable item, though, proves to be the PSA 6-rated holo reverse Bonsly edition. Sure, it isn't a top-graded Charizard illustration. But do you have a quirky, nearly pristine Bonsly card preserved in its eternal glory? I thought as much.

How It All Began

Emily dedicated most of the current year gathering every 2007 Bonsly card available on the market. She initially learned of this rare card in recent months, while debating the most infamous cards in the Pokémon TCG with an employee at her favorite card shop. The weeping Omanyte was considered, as was the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. But it was Bonsly crying, or Bonsly #17, that caught her interest.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly draws clear inspiration by bonsai plants, which are typically planted in containers with holes at the bottom. These are meant to aid growth, in fact fans advise one another to add holes into their pots if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed on shallow pots lacking drainage, known as suiban, where the water stays could aid growers decorate their plants to resemble nature vistas. Bonsly fits the initial category, which explains the hole.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Although this makes sense, yet, The Pokémon Company looks a bit excessively attentive with Bonsly's hole. Even merch like Bonsly plushes make sure to include an empty space below of the tree-like Pokémon. Regardless if the depiction of the Pokémon is crying or at ease: It's going to show hole. The opening is an intrinsic part of how Bonsly looks. This specific Bonsly card became a meme within the community both due to that drainage hole, as well as its rarity. For years before, the card was the single type of Bonsly card included in the series where numerous creatures are commonly shown in multiple editions. Over a decade and a half, if you wanted a Bonsly card, you needed to accept for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"When I discovered this card on the list of oddball cards, I knew I located my new favorite," Hopkins shares via email, adding that she felt astonished that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She'll be the first to inform you her fondness for Bonsly #71 serves no practical purpose, but it didn't matter. The liking turned into an all-consuming hobby, as Hopkins bought every Bonsly #71 card available to her. She adopted a habit of visiting the nearby card store on a weekly basis, and became known by workers as the Bonsly fan. The store began setting aside any recently acquired copies of Bonsly #71 it received only for her. The majority of these cost between $1 and $3, she mentions, calculating that her total expenditure is somewhere around $400 for the collection book.

Rising Prices

These days, pristine Bonsly #71 cards can cost up to $14.99. While that is a premium price, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards are often priced at $4 and above. The upward trend roughly aligns with her starting point building her set, but it's possible that multiple reasons. While it's true that this card is famous in the community, Emily's social media updates about it have attracted millions of views. With information regarding Bonsly #71 continues to spread among more people, there's a chance their market price may continue to shoot up. If nothing else, collectors say that trading card game values are skyrocketing this year across the board.

Unstoppable Determination

Hopkins cannot be stopped, yet.

"The amazing thing remains that certain fans and enthusiasts of the YouTube channel have shipped their Bonsly cards to me to add to my collection, and I am keeping these cards protected always," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, the audience feel admiration and motivation by her Bonsly binder.

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