She Has Amassed Numerous of Pokémon Drainage Hole Cards, and Nothing Can Halt Her.
The Pokémon Company released the world to the card series Diamond & Pearl expansion during 2007, featuring a Bonsly trading card. Within this depiction, the fourth generation Rock Pokémon is portrayed by designer Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising position. On the card, this pre-evolution is depicted toppled and weeping. But don't misunderstand, though. Similar to its attack Fake Tears, Bonsly aims to influence the other player's mood to lowering their attack. Iconic piece, right? Electroacoustic harpist Emily Hopkins absolutely agrees. She owns an album with 305 Bonsly cards to show for it.
The Full Collection and Its Highlights
However, that's not everything she has as well. She has acquired twenty reverse foil copies of this particular card, portraying the tyke with metallic accents all over except the central artwork. The prized possession, yet, turns out to be the PSA 6-rated reverse holographic of Bonsly. Certainly, it's far from a high-grade Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess a quirky, almost perfect Bonsly card kept forever immortalized? Probably not.
Origins of the Collection
She invested most of the current year gathering all available Bonsly cards from that year available on the market. She first heard about the out-of-print card in recent months, during a discussion the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with a worker in a nearby store. The weeping Omanyte was considered, just like the lonely Cubone at the theme park. Yet it was The sobbing Bonsly, aka Bonsly #17, that caught her interest.
The Concept of Bonsly
The design of Bonsly is based from miniature trees, that are commonly placed in planters that have drainage holes. These holes are intended to aid growth, to the extent that growers suggest to peers to add holes on the bottom if they don't already have one. They can also be positioned in shallow containers without holes, called suiban, and the collected moisture could aid caretakers decorate their plants to look like outdoor scenes. Bonsly fits the initial category, which explains the hole.
Why Bonsly Stands Out
Despite this logical explanation, yet, The company appears somewhat excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Even merch such as Bonsly plush toys ensure they feature an empty space at the bottom of the tree-like Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of Bonsly in question is crying or at ease: It features a hole. The opening is a key element of Bonsly's design. This specific Bonsly card turned into an internet joke within the community thanks to that drainage hole, and also because of its rarity. Until recently, Bonsly #71 was the only version featuring Bonsly printed in a game in which most Pokémon are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, were you seeking a Bonsly card, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.
A Growing Obsession
"When I discovered Bonsly in the list of these cursed cards, I realized I had found my new favorite," Emily states in a message, noting that she felt astonished to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to state her love of Bonsly #71 has no real value, 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 visiting her favorite shop every week, and was dubbed to the employees as "Bonsly Girl". The shop started putting any new Bonsly #71 cards they obtained only for her. Typically, these cards cost between $1 and $3, she mentions, calculating that she's spent approximately four hundred dollars just on the binder alone.
Market Trends and Value
These days, excellent Bonsly #71 cards can cost up to $14.99. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards are often priced at four dollars or more. This rise in cost corresponds to when Hopkins started her collection in earnest, although there are probably several factors at play. While it's true that the card is notorious in the community, Hopkins's posts regarding the card have received millions of views. With information about this card continues to spread to a wider audience, it is likely that their market price may continue to shoot up. If nothing else, enthusiasts note that TCG prices are soaring in 2025 in general.
Her Relentless Pursuit
Nothing can halt her, however.
"The wonderful part is some supporters and viewers of the YouTube channel have shipped their Bonsly cards to me for her album, and I am keeping these Bonsly safe forever," she declares. Far from being alarmed, the audience are amazed and encouraged by this project.
"I've actually always wanted to do this," an observer mentions. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card
