She Has Amassed Numerous of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and She's Unstoppable.
The makers of Pokémon unveiled fans to the card series DP expansion back in 2007, featuring the Bonsly card. On this artwork, the fourth generation rock-type appears by artist the talented Harada in a somewhat awkward situation. On the card, the predecessor to Sudowoodo appears knocked over and shedding tears. But don't misunderstand, though. Similar to its attack Fake Tears, the little creature attempts to manipulate the foe's feelings to decreasing their attack. Iconic piece, no? Musician and harpist Hopkins absolutely agrees. And she's got a collection book filled with 305 Bonsly cards to show for it.
The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights
That's not the full extent either. She obtained twenty reverse foil versions featuring Bonsly, showing the little guy with metallic accents all over except the central artwork. The crown jewel, though, turns out to be the professionally graded PSA 6 holo reverse Bonsly edition. Certainly, it's far from a mint-condition Charizard from the base set. However, can you claim an amusing, almost perfect Bonsly illustration maintained in its eternal glory? I didn't think so.
How It All Began
Hopkins has spent a large part of this year stockpiling all available Bonsly cards from that year that she could locate. She first heard of this rare card earlier this year, while debating the most infamous cards in the compendium with an employee at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was a contender, just like the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. However, the one that Bonsly crying, or card number 17, that caught her interest.
Behind Bonsly's Look
Bonsly draws clear inspiration by bonsai plants, which are often grown in pots with holes at the bottom. These holes are intended to help the plant grow, so much so that enthusiasts encourage each other to add holes in their containers if holes are missing. Additionally, bonsai may sit in shallow containers without holes, referred to as suiban, and the collected moisture could aid enthusiasts decorate their plants to mimic natural landscapes. Bonsly represents the first type, thus the hole exists.
Why Bonsly Stands Out
Even with this reasonable background, though, The company looks a bit a little too concerned with Bonsly's hole. Even merchandise such as Bonsly plush toys ensure they feature an empty space on the underside of the tree-like Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of this particular Bonsly is crying or calm: It's going to show a hole. The hole is a fundamental aspect of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 turned into an internet joke in collector circles because of the famous hole, in addition to its unique position. Until recently, Bonsly #71 was the only version of Bonsly available printed in a game where numerous creatures are commonly shown in various forms. For 16 years, were you seeking a card of Bonsly, you had to settle with the hole version.
The Collector's Passion
"When I discovered Bonsly in the list of these cursed cards, I felt I had found the one for me," she explains in a message, adding that it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She'll be the first to state her love of Bonsly #71 is completely useless, but it didn't matter. The initial interest turned into an all-consuming hobby, as she acquired every Bonsly #71 card she could possibly find. She soon developed a practice of stopping by her local card shop regularly, and became known among the staff as the Bonsly fan. The shop started setting aside any recently acquired Bonsly #71 cards that came in aside just for Hopkins. The majority of these go for a few dollars, she notes, estimating that her total expenditure is somewhere around $400 for the collection book.
Market Trends and Value
Nowadays, pristine the card may reach prices of $14.99. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost $4 and above. This rise in cost corresponds to when Hopkins started her collection in earnest, but it's possible that multiple reasons. Even though Bonsly #71 is well-known in the community, Hopkins's posts on it have also garnered millions of views. As news about this card expands further among more people, it is likely that the value of these cards could keep rising. At the very least, investors say that card market costs are climbing in 2025 in general.
Unstoppable Determination
Nothing can halt her, yet.
"The amazing thing is that a few followers and fans of the YouTube channel have sent their Bonsly cards to me for her album, and they will remain these Bonsly safe forever," she declares. Instead of being put off, viewers feel admiration and motivation by this project.
"I've long desired to attempt something similar," one commenter says. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card