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The Pokémon Company unveiled the world to the Pokémon TCG Diamond & Pearl set in the year 2007, showcasing the Bonsly card. On this artwork, the fourth generation rock-type is portrayed by illustrator Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising position. Here, this pre-evolution is depicted knocked over and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, yet. Like its ability Fake Tears suggests, Bonsly is trying to influence their opponent's emotions in the hopes of reducing their attack. Iconic piece, no? Musician and harpist Emily absolutely agrees. And she's got a collection book with 305 Bonsly cards as evidence.

The Entire Assortment with Key Pieces

That's not the whole collection as well. She's got 20 reverse holographic versions of this particular card, showing the little guy with metallic accents covering everything except the primary illustration. The most valuable item, though, is the professionally graded PSA 6 reverse holo of Bonsly. Admittedly, it's far from a top-graded Charizard from the base set. However, can you claim a quirky, nearly pristine Bonsly illustration kept in its eternal glory? Probably not.

How It All Began

Emily dedicated a large part of this year stockpiling every 2007 Bonsly card that she could locate. She discovered about the out-of-print card at the start of the year, while debating the notoriously odd cards among collectors with an employee in a nearby store. Omanyte in tears was a contender, along with the forever alone Cubone at the theme park. However, the one that Crying Bonsly, aka card number 17, which captured Emily's focus.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly is obviously influenced by bonsai plants, which are typically planted in pots featuring holes for drainage. These are meant to aid growth, to the extent that fans advise one another to add holes into their pots if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed in shallow containers lacking drainage, known as suiban, and the retained water could aid growers decorate their plants to mimic nature vistas. Bonsly is the former, hence the hole.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Even with this reasonable background, yet, The Pokémon Company seems almost excessively attentive with Bonsly's hole. Also, products like Bonsly plushes ensure they feature a cavity below of this plant Pokémon. Regardless if the illustration of the Pokémon is crying or at ease: It will display hole. This hole represents a fundamental aspect of Bonsly's design. Bonsly #71 turned into an internet joke within the community because of the famous hole, in addition to its status. Until recently, the card was the single type of Bonsly card released in the TCG where many of its monsters are commonly shown in dozens of different ways. For sixteen years, should you desire this Pokémon card, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"When I discovered Bonsly among the selections of these cursed cards, I realized I had found the one for me," Hopkins shares over email, mentioning how she was surprised to have never seen it before. She admits freely to tell you her fondness for the Bonsly card has no real value, but it didn't matter. The appreciation became a full-blown obsession, with Emily purchasing every Bonsly #71 card she could possibly find. She quickly got into a routine of going to the nearby card store every week, and earned the nickname among the staff as the Bonsly fan. The store began reserving all incoming this specific card that came in exclusively for Emily. Most of these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she notes, approximating she's spent about $400 just on the binder alone.

Rising Prices

Currently, mint-condition the card may reach prices of around fifteen dollars. While that is a premium price, ordinary copies tend to cost four dollars or more. The upward trend more or less coincides with the time Emily began building her set, but it's possible that several factors at play. While it's true that the card is notorious in the community, Hopkins's posts about it have attracted countless views. As news of its existence keeps growing among more people, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, collectors say that card market costs are skyrocketing currently in general.

Unstoppable Determination

Hopkins cannot be stopped, however.

"What's incredible is certain fans and viewers from her channel have mailed their Bonsly cards to Emily for her album, and I am keeping these Bonsly safe forever," Emily states. Far from being alarmed, the audience are amazed and encouraged by her collection.

"I've long desired to attempt something similar," one commenter says. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card