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Pokémon creators introduced the world to the card series Diamond & Pearl expansion during 2007, featuring a Bonsly trading card. In this card, Gen IV rock-type appears by artist Midori Harada in an unusual pose. On the card, this pre-evolution appears fallen and shedding tears. Don't be fooled, however. As its move the move Fake Tears, this Pokémon is trying to manipulate the foe's feelings with the goal of decreasing their offensive power. Iconic piece, right? Musician and harpist Emily Hopkins absolutely agrees. And she's got a binder with 305 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.

The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights

That's not the whole collection also. She's got a score of holo reverse editions of the Bonsly card, portraying the small Pokémon with shiny foil covering everything except the main image. The crown jewel, however, proves to be the PSA 6-graded holo reverse of Bonsly. Certainly, it's not a top-graded Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess an amusing, close to mint card of Bonsly kept in its eternal glory? I didn't think so.

How It All Began

Hopkins has spent most of the current year accumulating every 2007 Bonsly card that she could locate. She initially learned of this rare card earlier this year, while talking about the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with a worker in a nearby store. The weeping Omanyte was considered, along with Cubone by itself on a park ride. But it was The sobbing Bonsly, also known as Bonsly #17, which captured Hopkins's attention.

The Concept of Bonsly

Bonsly is obviously influenced by bonsai plants, that are commonly placed in containers that have drainage holes. These holes are intended to support healthy development, so much so that fans encourage each other to drill holes into their pots if they don't already have one. They can also be positioned on shallow pots lacking drainage, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist enthusiasts style their trees to look like nature vistas. Bonsly represents the first type, hence the hole.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Even with this reasonable background, however, The company looks a bit excessively attentive with Bonsly's hole. Also, products like Bonsly plushes always incorporate a cavity at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. Regardless if the illustration of Bonsly in question is weeping or at ease: It's going to show the hole. The opening is a key element of how Bonsly looks. Card number 71 turned into an internet joke within the community thanks to its distinctive hole, in addition to its status. Until recently, the card remained the sole iteration of Bonsly available printed in a game in which most Pokémon are commonly shown in dozens of different ways. For sixteen years, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you needed to accept with this specific design.

Emily's Dedication

"When I saw this card on the list of these cursed cards, I realized I located my favorite one," she explains over email, adding that it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She is quick to tell you her passion for this particular card serves no practical purpose, but it didn't matter. The appreciation turned into a major fixation, as she acquired every Bonsly #71 card that she could get her hands on. She adopted a practice of going to the nearby card store on a weekly basis, and was dubbed among the staff as the Bonsly fan. The store began setting aside any recently acquired copies of Bonsly #71 they obtained aside just for Hopkins. Most of these cards cost between $1 and $3, she says, estimating that her total expenditure is about $400 just on the binder alone.

Market Trends and Value

Currently, pristine the card can cost up to $14.99. While that is a premium price, standard Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost $4 and above. The upward trend more or less coincides with her starting point her collection in earnest, although there are probably several factors at play. Although Bonsly #71 is well-known with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts on it have received a huge audience. As news about this card expands further among more people, it is likely that their market price could keep rising. At the very least, collectors note that card market costs are skyrocketing in 2025 across the board.

No Signs of Stopping

Nothing can halt her, yet.

"The wonderful part remains that certain fans and viewers of the YouTube channel have sent their Bonsly cards to Emily to expand the set, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," she declares. Rather than recoil in horror, viewers are amazed and encouraged by her collection.

"I've actually always wanted to try this," an observer mentions. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card