She Has Amassed Countless of Pokemon Hole Cards, and She's Unstoppable.

The Pokémon Company released fans to the Pokémon TCG DP expansion in the year 2007, showcasing a Bonsly trading card. On this artwork, the Gen 4 Rock Pokémon appears by artist Midori Harada in a somewhat awkward position. Here, this pre-evolution appears toppled and crying. However, don't mistake this, yet. As its move Fake Tears suggests, Bonsly attempts to manipulate the other player's mood to decreasing their damage output. Memorable card, right? Electroacoustic harpist Emily certainly thinks so. And she's got an album filled with 305 Bonsly illustrations as evidence.

The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights

That's not the full extent either. She's got a score of reverse holographic versions of the Bonsly card, showing the small Pokémon with shiny foil everywhere but the primary illustration. The most valuable item, however, proves to be the professionally graded PSA 6 holo reverse Bonsly edition. Sure, it's not a mint-condition Charizard illustration. However, can you claim an amusing, nearly pristine Bonsly card preserved in all its splendor? Probably not.

Origins of the Collection

She invested much of 2025 stockpiling each Bonsly card from 2007 she can possibly find. She discovered of this rare card earlier this year, during a discussion the notoriously odd cards among collectors with a staff member at her favorite card shop. Crying Omanyte was a contender, along with Cubone by itself in an amusement park. Yet it was Bonsly crying, or the seventeenth card, that caught Hopkins's attention.

Behind Bonsly's Look

The design of Bonsly is based from miniature trees, that are commonly placed in pots featuring holes for drainage. They are designed to support healthy development, in fact fans suggest to peers to add holes in their containers if they don't already have one. Additionally, bonsai may sit on low dishes lacking drainage, called suiban, and the retained water could aid growers arrange their bonsai to mimic outdoor scenes. Bonsly fits the initial category, thus the hole exists.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Even with this reasonable background, yet, Pokémon's creators appears somewhat excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Even merch including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a hollow cavern on the underside of this plant Pokémon. Regardless if the illustration of Bonsly in question appears sad or content: It will display a hole. The hole is a key element of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 gained meme status among fans because of the famous hole, and also because of its status. Until recently, the card was the only version of Bonsly available included in the series in which most Pokémon are typically depicted in various forms. For 16 years, were you seeking a Bonsly card, you were stuck with the hole version.

A Growing Obsession

"When I discovered Bonsly in the list of oddball cards, I felt I had found my new favorite," Hopkins shares via email, mentioning how she was surprised to have missed it until then. She is quick to state her fondness for Bonsly #71 serves no practical purpose, yet that didn't stop her. The liking turned into an all-consuming hobby, with Emily purchasing every Bonsly #71 card that she could get her hands on. She quickly got into a habit of going to the nearby card store regularly, and was dubbed by workers as "Bonsly Girl". The store began setting aside any recently acquired this specific card that came in exclusively for Emily. Most of these cards go for a few dollars, she says, approximating her total expenditure is somewhere around $400 for the collection book.

Rising Prices

Currently, mint-condition this Bonsly card might be valued at nearly $15. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost $4 and above. The upward trend more or less coincides with her starting point building her set, although there are probably various influences. While it's true that this card is famous with enthusiasts, her online content regarding the card have attracted millions of views. With information of its existence continues to spread to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, collectors say that trading card game values are climbing this year overall.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Hopkins cannot be stopped, yet.

"The amazing thing is a few followers and viewers from her channel have shipped their own Bonsly cards her way to expand the set, and they will remain these cards protected always," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, viewers are impressed and inspired by her collection.

"I've actually always wanted to try this," one commenter says. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card

Jacob Oconnell
Jacob Oconnell

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in UK casino regulations and player-focused reviews.