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The Pokémon Company introduced fans to the card series Diamond & Pearl edition back in 2007, including the Bonsly card. On this artwork, the Gen 4 stone creature appears by artist the talented Harada in a, shall we say, compromising pose. Here, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo can be seen toppled and weeping. But don't misunderstand, yet. Similar to its attack the move Fake Tears, the little creature attempts to manipulate their opponent's emotions with the goal of reducing their attack. Memorable card, no? Electroacoustic harpist Emily absolutely agrees. And she's got a binder filled with 305 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.

Her Complete Set and Its Highlights

But that isn't the full extent also. She obtained a score of holo reverse copies featuring Bonsly, showing the little guy in reflective foil everywhere but the primary illustration. The most valuable item, however, proves to be the professionally graded PSA 6 reverse holo Bonsly edition. Sure, it isn't a top-graded Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess a goofy, almost perfect Bonsly card maintained in its eternal glory? Probably not.

How It All Began

Hopkins has spent a large part of this year gathering all available Bonsly cards from that year that she could locate. She discovered of this rare card at the start of the year, while debating the most infamous cards in the Pokémon TCG with an employee in a nearby store. Omanyte in tears was a contender, as was the lonely Cubone on a park ride. But it was The sobbing Bonsly, aka card number 17, that grabbed Emily's focus.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly draws clear inspiration by bonsai plants, that are commonly placed in planters with holes at the bottom. These are meant to aid growth, to the extent that growers advise one another to create openings on the bottom when none are present. Additionally, bonsai may sit on shallow pots hole-free, known as suiban, and the retained water may assist enthusiasts decorate their plants to resemble natural landscapes. Bonsly represents the first type, hence the hole.

The Infamous Hole Card

Although this makes sense, however, The company appears somewhat overly focused about the drainage feature. Even merchandise like Bonsly plushes ensure they feature a cavity on the underside of the tree-like Pokémon. It doesn't matter if the illustration of this particular Bonsly is crying or content: It will display a hole. The hole is an intrinsic part of how Bonsly looks. This specific Bonsly card gained meme status in collector circles thanks to its distinctive hole, and also because of its rarity. Until recently, Bonsly #71 remained the sole iteration of Bonsly card released in the TCG where many of its monsters are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. For sixteen years, should you desire a Bonsly card, you had to settle with the hole version.

The Collector's Passion

"Upon noticing this card on the list of these cursed cards, I felt I located my new favorite," Hopkins shares over email, noting that it was unexpected to have missed it until then. She is quick to inform you her passion for the Bonsly card serves no practical purpose, but she didn't care. The liking turned into a full-blown obsession, as Hopkins bought all copies of this card available to her. She adopted a practice of going to her local card shop on a weekly basis, and earned the nickname among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". They started setting aside any recently acquired Bonsly #71 cards it received only for her. Typically, these cards cost between $1 and $3, she mentions, approximating she's spent approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.

Market Trends and Value

Nowadays, pristine this Bonsly card might be valued at $14.99. While that is a premium price, run-of-the-mill copies tend to cost $4 and above. This rise in cost more or less coincides with the time Emily began collecting seriously, although there are probably multiple reasons. Although the card is notorious among collectors, her online content about it have also garnered a huge audience. As news about this card keeps growing to a wider audience, it is likely that their market price could keep rising. Regardless, collectors mention how card market costs are soaring in 2025 in general.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Emily remains undeterred, yet.

"What's incredible is that certain fans and viewers of the YouTube channel have shipped their Bonsly cards her way to expand the set, and I am keeping them secure indefinitely," she declares. Far from being alarmed, viewers are impressed and inspired by her Bonsly binder.

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