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The Pokémon Company released collectors to the card series Diamond and Pearl expansion during 2007, including a Bonsly trading card. In this card, the fourth generation Rock Pokémon is portrayed by designer the talented Harada in a, shall we say, compromising position. Here, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo is depicted fallen and weeping. But don't misunderstand, yet. Similar to its attack Fake Tears suggests, this Pokémon aims to influence their opponent's emotions with the goal of reducing their damage output. Iconic piece, isn't it? Musician and harpist Emily absolutely agrees. She owns an album with 305 cards of Bonsly to prove it.

The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights

But that isn't the whole collection as well. She obtained twenty reverse foil editions of the Bonsly card, which depicts the small Pokémon with metallic accents everywhere but the main image. The prized possession, however, is the PSA 6-rated holo reverse Bonsly edition. Certainly, it's far from a top-graded Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess an amusing, almost perfect Bonsly card kept in its eternal glory? I thought as much.

How It All Began

Emily dedicated much of 2025 accumulating every 2007 Bonsly card that she could locate. She first heard of this rare card at the start of the year, while talking about the most infamous cards among collectors with an employee at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was considered, along with the lonely Cubone in an amusement park. However, the one that Bonsly crying, or Bonsly #17, that caught Hopkins's attention.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly is obviously influenced on bonsai trees, which are typically planted in pots with holes at the bottom. They are designed to aid growth, in fact enthusiasts suggest to peers to create openings in their containers if holes are missing. Additionally, bonsai may sit in shallow containers without holes, called suiban, where the water stays can help enthusiasts arrange their bonsai to look like natural landscapes. Bonsly fits the initial category, which explains the hole.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Even with this reasonable background, however, The Pokémon Company seems almost a little too concerned about the drainage feature. Even merch like Bonsly plushes ensure they feature an empty space at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of the Pokémon appears sad or calm: It features a hole. The hole is an intrinsic part in Bonsly's appearance. This specific Bonsly card became a meme within the community both due to its distinctive hole, and also because of its rarity. Up until last year, Bonsly #71 remained the sole iteration featuring Bonsly included in the series where numerous creatures are commonly shown in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you were stuck with the hole version.

A Growing Obsession

"When I discovered Bonsly among the selections of infamous cards, I felt I discovered the one for me," Emily states in a message, mentioning how she felt astonished that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She is quick to tell you her passion for this particular card is completely useless, but it didn't matter. The liking became an all-consuming hobby, as Hopkins bought every Bonsly #71 card available to her. She soon developed a practice of stopping by her favorite shop regularly, and became known to the employees as the Bonsly fan. The shop started reserving all incoming copies of Bonsly #71 that came in only for her. Most of these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she says, approximating she's spent somewhere around $400 just on the binder alone.

The Financial Side

Currently, pristine the card may reach prices of around fifteen dollars. While that's on the higher end, ordinary Bonsly #71 cards usually go for four dollars or more. That price increase corresponds to the time Emily began building her set, but it's possible that several factors at play. Although this card is famous in the community, her online content regarding the card have attracted a huge audience. With information of its existence continues to spread among more people, it is likely that the price of Bonsly #71 cards may continue to shoot up. If nothing else, enthusiasts note that TCG prices are skyrocketing this year in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Hopkins cannot be stopped, however.

"The wonderful part remains that a few followers and fans of the YouTube channel have sent their Bonsly cards to Emily to expand the set, and she is preserving these Bonsly safe forever," Hopkins says. Instead of being put off, viewers are impressed and inspired by this project.

"I've long desired to do this," one commenter says. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card