She Has Amassed Hundreds of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and You Can't Stop Her.
The makers of Pokémon released collectors to the card series Diamond and Pearl expansion back in 2007, featuring a Bonsly trading card. In this card, the fourth generation rock-type appears by designer Harada-san in a, shall we say, compromising pose. Here, the predecessor to Sudowoodo appears toppled and shedding tears. But don't misunderstand, yet. As its move Fake Tears suggests, this Pokémon attempts to sway the other player's mood to decreasing their damage output. Iconic piece, no? Harp player Hopkins absolutely agrees. She possesses an album with 305 cards of Bonsly to show for it.
Her Complete Set with Key Pieces
But that isn't the full extent either. She's got twenty holo reverse editions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the small Pokémon with shiny foil covering everything except the main image. The most valuable item, yet, turns out to be the professionally graded PSA 6 holo reverse Bonsly edition. Admittedly, it isn't a top-graded Charizard illustration. However, can you claim a goofy, close to mint Bonsly card maintained in all its splendor? Probably not.
Origins of the Collection
She invested much of 2025 accumulating every 2007 Bonsly card that she could locate. She first heard about the out-of-print card in recent months, while talking about the most cursed cards among collectors with a staff member at her favorite card shop. Crying Omanyte was a contender, along with the forever alone Cubone at the theme park. However, the one that Bonsly crying, aka the seventeenth card, that grabbed Hopkins's attention.
The Design and Inspiration
Bonsly is obviously influenced on bonsai trees, that are commonly placed in planters featuring holes for drainage. They are designed to aid growth, to the extent that fans encourage each other to drill holes in their containers when none are present. They can also be positioned in shallow containers hole-free, called suiban, and the retained water could aid enthusiasts arrange their bonsai to look like outdoor scenes. Bonsly represents the first type, thus the hole exists.
The Infamous Hole Card
Although this makes sense, however, The Pokémon Company looks a bit a little too concerned about the drainage feature. Even merch such as Bonsly plush toys ensure they feature a hollow cavern on the underside of Bonsly. Regardless whether the portrayal of Bonsly in question is weeping or content: It's going to show the hole. This hole represents an intrinsic part of Bonsly's design. Bonsly #71 became a meme within the community both due to that drainage hole, in addition to its status. Until recently, this Bonsly card was the only version featuring Bonsly released in the TCG where numerous creatures are typically depicted in multiple editions. Over a decade and a half, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you were stuck with this specific design.
Emily's Dedication
"Upon noticing Bonsly in the list of these cursed cards, I realized I had found my favorite one," Hopkins shares via email, mentioning how she felt astonished to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to inform you her passion for Bonsly #71 serves no practical purpose, yet that didn't stop her. The appreciation turned into an all-consuming hobby, as Hopkins bought each available Bonsly card available to her. She soon developed a routine of stopping by her favorite shop on a weekly basis, and was dubbed among the staff as the Bonsly collector. The store began setting aside any recently acquired Bonsly #71 cards it received exclusively for Emily. The majority of these go for a few dollars, she notes, approximating she has invested somewhere around $400 only on the album itself.
Rising Prices
Currently, excellent the card might be valued at nearly $15. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards are often priced at four dollars or more. The upward trend roughly aligns with when Hopkins started her collection in earnest, though there are likely several factors at play. Although the card is notorious with enthusiasts, her online content about it have also garnered millions of views. As awareness about this card keeps growing to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards might increase even more. Regardless, collectors say that card market costs are soaring in 2025 across the board.
No Signs of Stopping
Hopkins cannot be stopped, though.
"What's incredible remains that certain fans and viewers on social media have sent copies of Bonsly her way to add to my collection, and I am keeping these cards protected always," Emily states. Rather than recoil in horror, fans feel admiration and motivation by this project.
"I've actually always wanted to do this," a viewer notes. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card
