She's Gathered Countless of Pokemon Hole Cards, and She's Unstoppable.

Pokémon creators unveiled collectors to the Pokémon TCG DP edition in the year 2007, including the Bonsly card. Within this depiction, the Gen 4 stone creature is shown by designer the talented Harada in a, shall we say, compromising position. Here, this pre-evolution can be seen fallen and weeping. Don't be fooled, yet. As its move Fake Tears, the little creature aims to sway the foe's feelings with the goal of reducing their damage output. Iconic piece, no? Harp player Hopkins certainly thinks so. And she's got an album containing over 300 cards of Bonsly to prove it.

The Entire Assortment Including Rare Finds

However, that's not everything she has as well. She's got 20 reverse foil versions of this particular card, showing the small Pokémon with metallic accents covering everything except the primary illustration. The prized possession, though, is the professionally graded PSA 6 holo reverse Bonsly card. Admittedly, it isn't a mint-condition Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess a goofy, almost perfect Bonsly card maintained forever immortalized? I thought as much.

Origins of the Collection

She invested a large part of this year stockpiling each Bonsly card from 2007 she can possibly find. She initially learned about the out-of-print card at the start of the year, while debating the most infamous cards in the compendium with a worker at her favorite card shop. Omanyte in tears was a contender, just like the forever alone Cubone at the theme park. Yet it was The sobbing Bonsly, or card number 17, that grabbed Hopkins's attention.

The Concept of Bonsly

Bonsly is obviously influenced by bonsai plants, which are often grown in planters with holes at the bottom. They are designed to support healthy development, so much so that growers suggest to peers to add holes in their containers if they don't already have one. Additionally, bonsai may sit on low dishes without holes, referred to as suiban, and the retained water can help enthusiasts decorate their plants to mimic outdoor scenes. Bonsly is the former, thus the hole exists.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Even with this reasonable background, yet, Pokémon's creators looks a bit excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Also, products including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a hollow cavern at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. It doesn't matter whether the portrayal of this particular Bonsly appears sad or at ease: It features hole. The hole is a key element of how Bonsly looks. Card number 71 gained meme status among fans because of that drainage hole, in addition to its status. Until recently, this Bonsly card was the single type of Bonsly available released in the TCG where numerous creatures usually appear in multiple editions. For 16 years, 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 these cursed cards, I knew I had found my new favorite," Hopkins shares in a message, adding that she was surprised to have never seen it before. She admits freely to inform you her love of Bonsly #71 is completely useless, but she didn't care. The liking became an all-consuming hobby, as she acquired all copies of this card she could possibly find. She quickly got into a routine of visiting her local card shop regularly, and earned the nickname to the employees as the Bonsly collector. The shop started setting aside any recently acquired copies of Bonsly #71 it received exclusively for Emily. Typically, these cards cost between $1 and $3, she mentions, estimating that she's spent approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.

Market Trends and Value

Nowadays, excellent Bonsly #71 cards might be valued at nearly $15. While that is a premium price, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards usually go for four dollars or more. That price increase roughly aligns with her starting point her collection in earnest, although there are probably several factors at play. While it's true that this card is famous with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts about it have also garnered a huge audience. With information regarding Bonsly #71 keeps growing to a wider audience, there's a chance the price of Bonsly #71 cards may continue to shoot up. At the very least, enthusiasts mention how trading card game values are climbing in 2025 in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Nothing can halt her, though.

"The amazing thing is some supporters and viewers from her channel have mailed copies of Bonsly her way to expand the set, and she is preserving these cards protected always," she declares. Instead of being put off, the audience are amazed and encouraged by her collection.

"I've long desired to do this," a viewer notes. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card

Michelle Wright
Michelle Wright

Tech journalist and gadget enthusiast with over a decade of experience reviewing cutting-edge electronics and consumer tech trends.