She's Gathered Countless of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and She's Unstoppable.
The makers of Pokémon introduced collectors to the card series DP set back in 2007, including a Bonsly trading card. On this artwork, the Gen 4 Rock Pokémon is portrayed by artist Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising situation. Here, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo appears toppled and weeping. But don't misunderstand, however. As its move Fake Tears suggests, Bonsly attempts to influence their opponent's emotions in the hopes of lowering their offensive power. Unforgettable artwork, right? Electroacoustic harpist Emily is a firm believer. She possesses a collection book with 305 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.
Her Complete Set Including Rare Finds
However, that's not the whole collection as well. She has acquired 20 holo reverse copies of this particular card, which depicts the small Pokémon with metallic accents covering everything except the central artwork. The crown jewel, though, is the PSA 6-graded reverse holo Bonsly card. Sure, it isn't a top-graded Charizard from the base set. However, can you claim an amusing, almost perfect card of Bonsly kept in its eternal glory? I didn't think so.
How It All Began
Emily dedicated much of 2025 accumulating every 2007 Bonsly card that she could locate. She initially learned regarding this discontinued card at the start of the year, during a discussion the most cursed cards among collectors with an employee in a nearby store. Omanyte in tears was in the running, just like Cubone by itself in an amusement park. However, the one that Bonsly crying, also known as card number 17, which captured Hopkins's attention.
The Concept of Bonsly
Bonsly draws clear inspiration from miniature trees, that are commonly placed in containers with holes at the bottom. They are designed to support healthy development, in fact growers advise one another to create openings into their pots if they don't already have one. They can also be positioned on low dishes lacking drainage, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist caretakers style their trees to resemble natural landscapes. Bonsly is the former, which explains the hole.
The Infamous Hole Card
Despite this logical explanation, however, Pokémon's creators seems almost a little too concerned about the drainage feature. Even merch such as Bonsly plush toys make sure to include a cavity on the underside of Bonsly. Regardless if the illustration of the Pokémon appears sad or content: It will display the hole. The hole is a fundamental aspect of Bonsly's design. Card number 71 turned into an internet joke among fans because of the famous hole, in addition to its status. Up until last year, this Bonsly card remained the sole iteration featuring Bonsly included in the series in which most Pokémon are typically depicted in multiple editions. For sixteen years, should you desire a card of Bonsly, you needed to accept with the hole version.
The Collector's Passion
"When I saw this card on the list of these cursed cards, I felt I had found my new favorite," she explains over email, noting that she felt astonished that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She'll be the first to inform you her fondness for this particular card is completely useless, but she didn't care. The initial interest turned into a full-blown obsession, as she acquired every Bonsly #71 card that she could get her hands on. She adopted a practice of going to her favorite shop regularly, and became known among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". They started reserving all incoming Bonsly #71 cards they obtained only for her. Typically, these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she says, calculating that her total expenditure is about $400 for the collection book.
Market Trends and Value
Currently, mint-condition Bonsly #71 cards might be valued at around fifteen dollars. While that's on the higher end, ordinary Bonsly #71 cards are often priced at $4 and above. This rise in cost roughly aligns with her starting point building her set, though there are likely several factors at play. Even though the card is notorious in the community, her online content about it have also garnered countless views. As awareness about this card expands further to a wider audience, it's possible that the value of these cards might increase even more. At the very least, investors say that trading card game values are skyrocketing this year overall.
Her Relentless Pursuit
Nothing can halt her, yet.
"The wonderful part is a few followers and viewers of the YouTube channel have shipped their own Bonsly cards to me for her album, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Hopkins says. Rather than recoil in horror, the audience are amazed and encouraged by her collection.
"I've long desired to attempt something similar," an observer mentions. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card
