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The makers of Pokémon introduced fans to the Pokémon TCG Diamond & Pearl set back in 2007, including the Bonsly card. Within this depiction, the Gen 4 stone creature is shown by designer the talented Harada in a somewhat awkward pose. On the card, this pre-evolution can be seen knocked over and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, however. As its move Fake Tears suggests, the little creature attempts to sway their opponent's emotions in the hopes of reducing their offensive power. Iconic piece, isn't it? Musician and harpist Emily absolutely agrees. She owns an album with 305 cards of Bonsly to show for it.

Her Complete Set and Its Highlights

However, that's not the full extent also. She has acquired twenty reverse holographic copies of the Bonsly card, which depicts the tyke with shiny foil covering everything except the primary illustration. The crown jewel, yet, is the PSA 6-rated reverse holographic Bonsly card. Sure, it isn't a high-grade Charizard illustration. But do you have a goofy, almost perfect Bonsly card maintained in all its splendor? I didn't think so.

The Start of the Obsession

Hopkins has spent most of the current year accumulating all available Bonsly cards from that year she can possibly find. She discovered about the out-of-print card earlier this year, while debating the most cursed cards in the compendium with a worker at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was considered, along with the lonely Cubone in an amusement park. However, the one that Crying Bonsly, aka the seventeenth card, that caught her interest.

The Concept of Bonsly

The design of Bonsly is based by bonsai plants, which are often grown in pots that have drainage holes. These are meant to help the plant grow, to the extent that growers encourage each other to drill holes into their pots if holes are missing. They can also be positioned in shallow containers hole-free, referred to as suiban, where the water stays could aid growers arrange their bonsai to look like outdoor scenes. Bonsly represents the first type, hence the hole.

The Infamous Hole Card

Even with this reasonable background, though, Pokémon's creators seems almost overly focused about the drainage feature. Also, products including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a cavity below of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of this particular Bonsly is weeping or at ease: It's going to show a hole. The opening is a fundamental aspect in Bonsly's appearance. This specific Bonsly card became a meme among fans both due to its distinctive hole, as well as its unique position. For years before, the card was the single type of Bonsly available released in the TCG where numerous creatures are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, if you wanted a Bonsly card, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"When I discovered Bonsly among the selections of oddball cards, I knew I discovered my new favorite," she explains in a message, noting that she felt astonished to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to inform you her passion for the Bonsly card is completely useless, but it didn't matter. The liking turned into a full-blown obsession, as Hopkins bought each available Bonsly card available to her. She quickly got into a habit of stopping by her favorite shop on a weekly basis, and was dubbed among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". They started reserving all incoming copies of Bonsly #71 that came in exclusively for Emily. The majority of these cost between $1 and $3, she says, estimating that she has invested somewhere around $400 only on the album itself.

Market Trends and Value

These days, mint-condition Bonsly #71 cards can cost up to nearly $15. While that's on the higher end, ordinary versions tend to cost starting at $4. This rise in cost more or less coincides with when Hopkins started building her set, but it's possible that multiple reasons. Although Bonsly #71 is well-known among collectors, Hopkins's posts on it have also garnered millions of views. As awareness regarding Bonsly #71 keeps growing to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, enthusiasts say that trading card game values are soaring this year in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Hopkins cannot be stopped, though.

"The wonderful part remains that some supporters and enthusiasts on social media have sent their Bonsly cards her way for her album, and I am keeping these Bonsly safe forever," she declares. Rather than recoil in horror, the audience feel admiration and motivation by her collection.

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