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Pokémon creators introduced the world to the Pokémon TCG Diamond and Pearl expansion during 2007, showcasing the Bonsly illustration. In this card, the Gen 4 rock-type appears by illustrator the talented Harada in an unusual situation. Here, this pre-evolution can be seen fallen and shedding tears. But don't misunderstand, however. Like its ability Fake Tears suggests, this Pokémon aims to manipulate the other player's mood with the goal of decreasing their offensive power. Memorable card, right? Musician and harpist Emily is a firm believer. She possesses a collection book with 305 Bonsly illustrations to show for it.

The Entire Assortment Including Rare Finds

However, that's not the whole collection also. She has acquired twenty holo reverse versions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the small Pokémon in reflective foil everywhere but the primary illustration. The most valuable item, though, turns out to be the PSA 6-rated reverse holographic Bonsly card. Admittedly, it's not a high-grade Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess an amusing, close to mint Bonsly card kept in all its splendor? I thought as much.

How It All Began

Hopkins has spent most of the current year gathering each Bonsly card from 2007 available on the market. She first heard about the out-of-print card at the start of the year, while talking about the most cursed cards among collectors with an employee at a local shop. Omanyte in tears was in the running, as was the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. Yet it was Bonsly crying, or Bonsly #17, that caught Emily's focus.

The Concept of Bonsly

Bonsly is obviously influenced by bonsai plants, which are often grown in planters featuring holes for drainage. These holes are intended to support healthy development, so much so that enthusiasts advise one another to drill holes in their containers if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed on low dishes without holes, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist caretakers style their trees to look like natural landscapes. Bonsly represents the first type, which explains the hole.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Even with this reasonable background, though, The Pokémon Company looks a bit a little too concerned regarding the hole in Bonsly. Even merch such as Bonsly plush toys always incorporate a cavity below of this plant Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of this particular Bonsly is crying or at ease: It's going to show hole. This hole represents an intrinsic part of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 gained meme status among fans because of its distinctive hole, and also because of its unique position. Until recently, Bonsly #71 was the only version featuring Bonsly printed in a game in which most Pokémon usually appear in dozens of different ways. For sixteen years, should you desire a Bonsly card, you had to settle with the hole version.

Emily's Dedication

"When I discovered Bonsly among the selections of oddball cards, I realized I had found the one for me," Emily states over email, noting that she was surprised that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She admits freely to tell you her fondness for Bonsly #71 has no real value, yet that didn't stop her. The liking evolved into an all-consuming hobby, with Emily purchasing each available Bonsly card that she could get her hands on. She quickly got into a practice of visiting her local card shop every week, and was dubbed to the employees as the Bonsly collector. They started setting aside any recently acquired this specific card they obtained exclusively for Emily. Typically, these cards cost between $1 and $3, she says, estimating that she's spent approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.

Market Trends and Value

These days, pristine this Bonsly card might be valued at $14.99. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill copies tend to cost four dollars or more. That price increase corresponds to when Hopkins started collecting seriously, though there are likely various influences. Even though the card is notorious with enthusiasts, Emily's social media updates about it have attracted a huge audience. As awareness of its existence expands further to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards could keep rising. Regardless, collectors note that TCG prices are soaring this year in general.

No Signs of Stopping

Emily remains undeterred, though.

"What's incredible remains that certain fans and enthusiasts of the YouTube channel have shipped their own Bonsly cards her way for her album, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Hopkins says. Instead of being put off, the audience feel admiration and motivation by her collection.

"For years, I wished to do this," a viewer notes. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card