She's Gathered Hundreds of Pokemon Hole Cards, and You Can't Stop Her.
The Pokémon Company introduced fans to the Pokémon TCG Diamond and Pearl expansion back in 2007, featuring the Bonsly illustration. Within this depiction, the fourth generation Rock Pokémon is shown by artist Midori Harada in a somewhat awkward position. In the image, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo can be seen knocked over and weeping. However, don't mistake this, though. Like its ability Fake Tears suggests, Bonsly is trying to influence the other player's mood in the hopes of reducing their offensive power. Unforgettable artwork, isn't it? Electroacoustic harpist Emily Hopkins absolutely agrees. And she's got a binder with 305 Bonsly cards as evidence.
The Full Collection and Its Highlights
However, that's not everything she has as well. She obtained 20 reverse holographic copies of the Bonsly card, portraying the small Pokémon with metallic accents covering everything except the central artwork. The most valuable item, yet, proves to be the PSA 6-rated reverse holographic of Bonsly. Sure, it's not a top-graded Charizard illustration. But do you have a quirky, almost perfect Bonsly illustration preserved in all its splendor? I thought as much.
The Start of the Obsession
She invested a large part of this year stockpiling each Bonsly card from 2007 that she could locate. She discovered about the out-of-print card in recent months, while debating the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with a worker at a local shop. Omanyte in tears was in the running, along with the lonely Cubone on a park ride. But it was Bonsly crying, aka the seventeenth card, which captured her interest.
The Design and Inspiration
The design of Bonsly is based from miniature trees, that are commonly placed in planters that have drainage holes. They are designed to help the plant grow, in fact growers advise one another to drill holes in their containers when none are present. They can also be positioned on low dishes without holes, known as suiban, where the water stays may assist enthusiasts style their trees to look like nature vistas. Bonsly represents the first type, which explains the hole.
A Memorable and Notorious Card
Although this makes sense, however, Pokémon's creators appears somewhat excessively attentive regarding the hole in Bonsly. Also, products like Bonsly plushes ensure they feature an empty space at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. It doesn't matter whether the portrayal of this particular Bonsly is crying or at ease: It features hole. This hole represents a fundamental aspect of Bonsly's design. Card number 71 turned into an internet joke in collector circles because of that drainage hole, and also because of its unique position. Until recently, the card was the only version featuring Bonsly printed in a game where many of its monsters are typically depicted in multiple editions. For sixteen years, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you were stuck for hole Bonsly.
Emily's Dedication
"Upon noticing Bonsly among the selections of these cursed cards, I realized I had found my new favorite," she explains over email, noting that she felt astonished to have missed it until then. She admits freely to state her love of the Bonsly card is completely useless, but she didn't care. The appreciation became a major fixation, as she acquired all copies of this card that she could get her hands on. She quickly got into a practice of visiting her favorite shop every week, and became known among the staff as the Bonsly fan. The store began putting any new Bonsly #71 cards they obtained only for her. The majority of these go for a few dollars, she mentions, approximating she's spent somewhere around $400 just on the binder alone.
Market Trends and Value
Nowadays, mint-condition this Bonsly card might be valued at $14.99. While that's on the higher end, ordinary Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost starting at $4. That price increase roughly aligns with the time Emily began her collection in earnest, although there are probably various influences. Although the card is notorious with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts on it have attracted millions of views. As awareness about this card continues to spread to new fans, it's possible that their market price could keep rising. If nothing else, enthusiasts mention how card market costs are climbing in 2025 overall.
Unstoppable Determination
Hopkins cannot be stopped, however.
"The amazing thing is some supporters and enthusiasts of the YouTube channel have shipped their Bonsly cards to me for her album, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," she declares. Rather than recoil in horror, viewers feel admiration and motivation by this project.
"I've long desired to try this," a viewer notes. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card