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The Pokémon Company unveiled fans to the card series DP edition during 2007, including a Bonsly trading card. In this card, Gen IV Rock Pokémon is portrayed by artist Harada-san in an unusual position. On the card, this pre-evolution appears knocked over and weeping. Don't be fooled, yet. Like its ability the move Fake Tears, this Pokémon is trying to sway their opponent's emotions with the goal of lowering their damage output. Memorable card, no? Electroacoustic harpist Emily Hopkins is a firm believer. And she's got a binder with 305 Bonsly cards to show for it.

The Full Collection Including Rare Finds

However, that's not everything she has either. She obtained a score of reverse foil editions of this particular card, portraying the tyke in reflective foil everywhere but the central artwork. The prized possession, though, is the PSA 6-graded reverse holographic Bonsly card. Certainly, it's not a mint-condition original Charizard card. Yet, do you possess a goofy, nearly pristine Bonsly illustration kept in its eternal glory? I didn't think so.

Origins of the Collection

Hopkins has spent most of the current year stockpiling all available Bonsly cards from that year she can possibly find. She first heard about the out-of-print card at the start of the year, while talking about the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with a worker at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was a contender, just like the lonely Cubone at the theme park. Yet it was Bonsly crying, or card number 17, which captured Hopkins's attention.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly draws clear inspiration on bonsai trees, that are commonly placed in containers that have drainage holes. These holes are intended to help the plant grow, in fact enthusiasts encourage each other to create openings into their pots if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed on low dishes lacking drainage, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist growers decorate their plants to resemble natural landscapes. Bonsly fits the initial category, which explains the hole.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Although this makes sense, yet, Pokémon's creators seems almost excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Even merchandise including stuffed Bonsly make sure to include a cavity below of the tree-like Pokémon. It makes no difference if the illustration of the Pokémon appears sad or at ease: It will display hole. The hole is a key element of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 gained meme status among fans because of its distinctive hole, in addition to its unique position. Up until last year, Bonsly #71 remained the sole iteration of Bonsly card released in the TCG in which most Pokémon are typically depicted in various forms. For 16 years, should you desire a card of Bonsly, you needed to accept with the hole version.

The Collector's Passion

"When I discovered this card on the list of infamous cards, I felt I had found my new favorite," Hopkins shares over email, mentioning how it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She admits freely to tell you her love of Bonsly #71 serves no practical purpose, but she didn't care. The liking evolved into an all-consuming hobby, with Emily purchasing every Bonsly #71 card that she could get her hands on. She adopted a habit of going to her local card shop on a weekly basis, and earned the nickname to the employees as the Bonsly collector. They started reserving all incoming Bonsly #71 cards they obtained aside just for Hopkins. The majority of these are priced at one to three dollars, she mentions, calculating that her total expenditure is about $400 only on the album itself.

Rising Prices

These days, mint-condition Bonsly #71 cards may reach prices of nearly $15. Although that is expensive, ordinary Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost four dollars or more. That price increase more or less coincides with the time Emily began building her set, although there are probably multiple reasons. Even though Bonsly #71 is well-known in the community, her online content regarding the card have received countless views. As awareness regarding Bonsly #71 keeps growing to a wider audience, it's possible that their market price may continue to shoot up. If nothing else, investors note that trading card game values are climbing currently overall.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Hopkins cannot be stopped, though.

"What's incredible is certain fans and viewers from her channel have mailed copies of Bonsly her way to add to my collection, and they will remain these Bonsly safe forever," Hopkins says. Rather than recoil in horror, viewers are impressed and inspired by her Bonsly binder.

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