She's Collected Hundreds of Pokemon Cards with Holes, and Nothing Can Halt Her.
Pokémon creators introduced the world to the Pokémon TCG Diamond & Pearl edition back in 2007, featuring the Bonsly card. On this artwork, Gen IV rock-type is portrayed by designer Harada-san in an unusual position. In the image, this pre-evolution is depicted fallen and crying. But don't misunderstand, though. As its move Fake Tears suggests, the little creature attempts to sway the other player's mood with the goal of lowering their offensive power. Iconic piece, right? Electroacoustic harpist Emily certainly thinks so. She owns an album filled with 305 Bonsly cards to prove it.
The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights
However, that's not the whole collection either. She has acquired twenty reverse foil versions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the small Pokémon with metallic accents covering everything except the central artwork. The most valuable item, yet, is the PSA 6-graded holo reverse Bonsly card. Sure, it isn't a mint-condition Charizard from the base set. But do you have a goofy, nearly pristine Bonsly card maintained forever immortalized? I didn't think so.
Origins of the Collection
Hopkins has spent a large part of this year stockpiling all available Bonsly cards from that year available on the market. She discovered of this rare card in recent months, during a discussion the most cursed cards in the compendium with a staff member in a nearby store. Crying Omanyte was considered, along with the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. But it was Bonsly crying, aka the seventeenth card, that caught Hopkins's attention.
Behind Bonsly's Look
Bonsly is obviously influenced on bonsai trees, which are often grown in pots that have drainage holes. These holes are intended to help the plant grow, to the extent that enthusiasts encourage each other to add holes in their containers if holes are missing. Additionally, bonsai may sit on shallow pots lacking drainage, called suiban, and the collected moisture could aid caretakers style their trees to resemble natural landscapes. Bonsly is the former, thus the hole exists.
The Infamous Hole Card
Despite this logical explanation, however, Pokémon's creators seems almost a little too concerned with Bonsly's hole. Also, products including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a cavity at the bottom of the tree-like Pokémon. It makes no difference if the depiction of the Pokémon is crying or at ease: It features the hole. The hole is a fundamental aspect of how Bonsly looks. This specific Bonsly card became a meme in collector circles both due to the famous hole, in addition to its status. Until recently, the card remained the sole iteration of Bonsly card released in the TCG where many of its monsters usually appear in multiple editions. Over a decade and a half, if you wanted a card of Bonsly, you needed to accept for hole Bonsly.
The Collector's Passion
"Upon noticing Bonsly among the selections of oddball cards, I knew I discovered my new favorite," she explains via email, adding that it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She is quick to inform you her fondness for this particular card has no real value, but she didn't care. The initial interest turned into a major fixation, as she acquired all copies of this card available to her. She soon developed a practice of going to the nearby card store regularly, and earned the nickname among the staff as the Bonsly fan. They started putting any new Bonsly #71 cards they obtained exclusively for Emily. Most of these cards go for a few dollars, she notes, estimating that she has invested approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.
Rising Prices
These days, excellent Bonsly #71 cards may reach prices of $14.99. While that is a premium price, ordinary versions tend to cost $4 and above. The upward trend more or less coincides with when Hopkins started collecting seriously, though there are likely multiple reasons. Even though this card is famous among collectors, her online content about it have received countless views. With information regarding Bonsly #71 continues to spread to new fans, there's a chance the price of Bonsly #71 cards could keep rising. Regardless, enthusiasts say that TCG prices are skyrocketing currently across the board.
Her Relentless Pursuit
Nothing can halt her, however.
"The wonderful part remains that some supporters and fans from her channel have shipped copies of Bonsly her way for her album, and they will remain these Bonsly safe forever," she declares. Rather than recoil in horror, viewers feel admiration and motivation by her Bonsly binder.
"I've long desired to try this," a viewer notes. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card