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The makers of Pokémon introduced collectors to the trading card game DP set in the year 2007, including the Bonsly illustration. Within this depiction, Gen IV stone creature is shown by designer Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising situation. In the image, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo is depicted fallen and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, though. As its move the move Fake Tears, this Pokémon attempts to manipulate their opponent's emotions in the hopes of reducing their offensive power. Unforgettable artwork, isn't it? Harp player Emily Hopkins certainly thinks so. She owns a binder containing over 300 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.

The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights

But that isn't the whole collection as well. She has acquired twenty holo reverse versions of the Bonsly card, portraying the small Pokémon with shiny foil all over except the central artwork. The crown jewel, yet, is the professionally graded PSA 6 holo reverse of Bonsly. Sure, it's not a top-graded original Charizard card. However, can you claim a quirky, close to mint Bonsly card maintained in all its splendor? I thought as much.

Origins of the Collection

She invested a large part of this year gathering every 2007 Bonsly card she can possibly find. She first heard regarding this discontinued card earlier this year, while debating the most infamous cards in the Pokémon TCG with a staff member at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was considered, just like the lonely Cubone at the theme park. Yet it was The sobbing Bonsly, aka the seventeenth card, that grabbed Hopkins's attention.

The Concept of Bonsly

Bonsly draws clear inspiration on bonsai trees, which are typically planted in planters featuring holes for drainage. These holes are intended to support healthy development, so much so that growers encourage each other to create openings into their pots if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed in shallow containers hole-free, referred to as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist growers decorate their plants to resemble natural landscapes. Bonsly fits the initial category, which explains the hole.

The Infamous Hole Card

Although this makes sense, however, The Pokémon Company looks a bit overly focused about the drainage feature. Even merchandise including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a cavity below of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference if the illustration of Bonsly in question appears sad or calm: It features hole. The hole is an intrinsic part of how Bonsly looks. This specific Bonsly card gained meme status within the community because of its distinctive hole, and also because of its status. For years before, the card remained the sole iteration of Bonsly card printed in a game in which most Pokémon are commonly shown in multiple editions. For 16 years, if you wanted a card of Bonsly, you had to settle with this specific design.

The Collector's Passion

"When I saw Bonsly among the selections of oddball cards, I felt I had found my favorite one," Hopkins shares in a message, adding that it was unexpected that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She admits freely to tell you her passion for this particular card is completely useless, but she didn't care. The liking evolved into an all-consuming hobby, as Hopkins bought every Bonsly #71 card available to her. She adopted a routine of going to her local card shop on a weekly basis, and earned the nickname by workers as the Bonsly collector. The shop started reserving all incoming this specific card that came in aside just for Hopkins. Most of these cards go for a few dollars, she notes, calculating that her total expenditure is approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.

The Financial Side

Nowadays, mint-condition this Bonsly card can cost up to around fifteen dollars. Although that is expensive, standard Bonsly #71 cards usually go for $4 and above. That price increase more or less coincides with her starting point collecting seriously, though there are likely multiple reasons. While it's true that this card is famous among collectors, Emily's social media updates on it have also garnered millions of views. As awareness about this card continues to spread to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. If nothing else, investors mention how card market costs are soaring currently in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Hopkins cannot be stopped, however.

"The wonderful part is certain fans and viewers on social media have sent their Bonsly cards to Emily to expand the set, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Emily states. Instead of being put off, the audience feel admiration and motivation by her Bonsly binder.

"For years, I wished to do this," an observer mentions. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card