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Pokémon creators released fans to the card series DP expansion in the year 2007, including the Bonsly card. On this artwork, the fourth generation Rock Pokémon is shown by illustrator the talented Harada in a, shall we say, compromising pose. In the image, the predecessor to Sudowoodo is depicted knocked over and crying. Don't be fooled, though. Similar to its attack Fake Tears suggests, the little creature aims to manipulate their opponent's emotions with the goal of lowering their damage output. Memorable card, isn't it? Musician and harpist Emily Hopkins is a firm believer. And she's got an album filled with 305 Bonsly illustrations as evidence.

The Entire Assortment with Key Pieces

But that isn't the whole collection also. She obtained twenty reverse foil copies of the Bonsly card, showing the little guy with shiny foil covering everything except the central artwork. The crown jewel, though, proves to be the PSA 6-rated reverse holo of Bonsly. Admittedly, it's not a top-graded Charizard illustration. However, can you claim a goofy, close to mint card of Bonsly preserved forever immortalized? I didn't think so.

How It All Began

Emily dedicated much of 2025 stockpiling each Bonsly card from 2007 available on the market. She first heard of this rare card at the start of the year, during a discussion the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with an employee at a local shop. Crying Omanyte was a contender, along with the forever alone Cubone on a park ride. However, the one that The sobbing Bonsly, or Bonsly #17, that caught Hopkins's attention.

The Design and Inspiration

The design of Bonsly is based from miniature trees, which are often grown in planters that have drainage holes. These are meant to help the plant grow, in fact fans suggest to peers to add holes in their containers when none are present. They can also be positioned on shallow pots hole-free, called suiban, where the water stays can help caretakers decorate their plants to resemble nature vistas. Bonsly represents the first type, which explains the hole.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Despite this logical explanation, yet, The Pokémon Company appears somewhat excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Also, products such as Bonsly plush toys ensure they feature a hollow cavern on the underside of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of the Pokémon appears sad or content: It's going to show hole. The hole is an intrinsic part of Bonsly's design. Card number 71 gained meme status within the community because of that drainage hole, and also because of its unique position. Until recently, this Bonsly card remained the sole iteration of Bonsly card released in the TCG in which most Pokémon are typically depicted in various forms. Over a decade and a half, should you desire a Bonsly card, you were stuck with this specific design.

A Growing Obsession

"When I discovered Bonsly in the list of oddball cards, I felt I had found the one for me," Hopkins shares via email, adding that it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She'll be the first to tell you her love of this particular card is completely useless, yet that didn't stop her. The liking turned into a major fixation, with Emily purchasing each available Bonsly card that she could get her hands on. She adopted a practice of going to her local card shop regularly, and earned the nickname to the employees as the Bonsly fan. The store began putting any new this specific card it received only for her. The majority of these are priced at one to three dollars, she says, estimating that she has invested approximately four hundred dollars for the collection book.

Rising Prices

These days, excellent this Bonsly card can cost up to around fifteen dollars. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill copies tend to cost starting at $4. That price increase more or less coincides with her starting point collecting seriously, though there are likely several factors at play. While it's true that Bonsly #71 is well-known among collectors, Hopkins's posts on it have also garnered countless views. With information regarding Bonsly #71 keeps growing among more people, it is likely that the price of Bonsly #71 cards may continue to shoot up. At the very least, collectors note that trading card game values are skyrocketing currently overall.

Unstoppable Determination

Emily remains undeterred, however.

"What's incredible remains that some supporters and enthusiasts from her channel have sent their own Bonsly cards to me to add to my collection, and I am keeping them secure indefinitely," she declares. Instead of being put off, the audience are impressed and inspired by her collection.

"I've long desired to try this," an observer mentions. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card