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The Pokémon Company released fans to the card series Diamond and Pearl set during 2007, featuring the Bonsly illustration. Within this depiction, the fourth generation stone creature is portrayed by designer Harada-san in a, shall we say, compromising situation. Here, this pre-evolution can be seen toppled and crying. However, don't mistake this, however. As its move Fake Tears suggests, Bonsly is trying to sway the other player's mood with the goal of decreasing their damage output. Unforgettable artwork, no? Harp player Emily Hopkins certainly thinks so. She possesses an album filled with 305 Bonsly illustrations to show for it.

Her Complete Set Including Rare Finds

But that isn't everything she has also. She has acquired twenty reverse holographic editions of this particular card, portraying the tyke with metallic accents covering everything except the primary illustration. The crown jewel, yet, is the professionally graded PSA 6 holo reverse Bonsly edition. Certainly, it's not a mint-condition original Charizard card. However, can you claim a goofy, nearly pristine Bonsly illustration kept in its eternal glory? I thought as much.

The Start of the Obsession

Hopkins has spent most of the current year accumulating all available Bonsly cards from that year that she could locate. She first heard regarding this discontinued card in recent months, during a discussion the notoriously odd cards in the Pokémon TCG with a staff member in a nearby store. The weeping Omanyte was a contender, along with the lonely Cubone in an amusement park. But it was Bonsly crying, aka card number 17, which captured Hopkins's attention.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly draws clear inspiration from miniature trees, which are often grown in containers that have drainage holes. They are designed to help the plant grow, to the extent that growers advise one another to drill holes into their pots if holes are missing. Additionally, bonsai may sit on low dishes hole-free, known as suiban, and the retained water could aid caretakers style their trees to mimic nature vistas. Bonsly is the former, which explains the hole.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Even with this reasonable background, though, The company looks a bit excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Also, products like Bonsly plushes make sure to include an empty space at the bottom of the tree-like Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of the Pokémon is crying or at ease: It features the hole. The opening is a fundamental aspect in Bonsly's appearance. Card number 71 gained meme status among fans because of that drainage hole, in addition to its status. Until recently, Bonsly #71 was the only version of Bonsly card included in the series where many of its monsters are typically depicted in various forms. Over a decade and a half, were you seeking a card of Bonsly, you were stuck for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"Upon noticing this card on the list of infamous cards, I realized I located my favorite one," Hopkins shares in a message, adding that she felt astonished to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to state her passion for Bonsly #71 is completely useless, but she didn't care. The liking became a full-blown obsession, as she acquired each available Bonsly card she could possibly find. She quickly got into a habit of visiting the nearby card store on a weekly basis, and became known by workers as "Bonsly Girl". They started putting any new Bonsly #71 cards that came in only for her. Most of these cards go for a few dollars, she mentions, calculating that she's spent about $400 for the collection book.

Rising Prices

Nowadays, pristine Bonsly #71 cards may reach prices of around fifteen dollars. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill versions usually go for starting at $4. That price increase corresponds to when Hopkins started collecting seriously, although there are probably several factors at play. Although the card is notorious with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts on it have received countless views. As news about this card keeps growing to new fans, it is likely that the price of Bonsly #71 cards might increase even more. At the very least, enthusiasts note that trading card game values are soaring in 2025 in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Hopkins cannot be stopped, though.

"The amazing thing is some supporters and enthusiasts on social media have shipped their own Bonsly cards to Emily to expand the set, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Hopkins says. Far from being alarmed, the audience feel admiration and motivation by her Bonsly binder.

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