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Pokémon creators unveiled fans to the trading card game Diamond & Pearl expansion in the year 2007, including the Bonsly card. In this card, Gen IV Rock Pokémon is portrayed by designer Midori Harada in an unusual position. Here, the predecessor to Sudowoodo can be seen toppled and crying. But don't misunderstand, though. As its move Fake Tears, the little creature attempts to sway the other player's mood in the hopes of lowering their damage output. Memorable card, isn't it? Harp player Emily Hopkins certainly thinks so. She possesses an album with 305 Bonsly cards to prove it.

The Full Collection and Its Highlights

That's not everything she has either. She's got 20 reverse foil versions of the Bonsly card, portraying the little guy with metallic accents all over except the central artwork. The crown jewel, yet, proves to be the professionally graded PSA 6 reverse holographic of Bonsly. Admittedly, it's far from a mint-condition original Charizard card. But do you have a quirky, nearly pristine card of Bonsly maintained in all its splendor? I didn't think so.

Origins of the Collection

Emily dedicated most of the current year stockpiling all available Bonsly cards from that year available on the market. She initially learned about the out-of-print card earlier this year, during a discussion the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with an employee at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was a contender, just like the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. But it was Bonsly crying, also known as the seventeenth card, that grabbed Emily's focus.

Behind Bonsly's Look

Bonsly is obviously influenced on bonsai trees, which are typically planted in pots that have drainage holes. These are meant to aid growth, to the extent that fans encourage each other to create openings in their containers if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed on low dishes lacking drainage, known as suiban, where the water stays could aid enthusiasts arrange their bonsai to look like nature vistas. Bonsly fits the initial category, hence the hole.

A Memorable and Notorious Card

Despite this logical explanation, however, Pokémon's creators seems almost a little too concerned about the drainage feature. Even merchandise including stuffed Bonsly ensure they feature an empty space below of the tree-like Pokémon. It makes no difference whether the portrayal of Bonsly in question is crying or content: It will display hole. The opening is a fundamental aspect of how Bonsly looks. This specific Bonsly card turned into an internet joke among fans because of that drainage hole, in addition to its rarity. For years before, the card was the only version of Bonsly card released in the TCG where numerous creatures usually appear in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you were stuck for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"Upon noticing Bonsly in the list of infamous cards, I felt I had found my new favorite," Emily states in a message, mentioning how it was unexpected that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She is quick to state her love of the Bonsly card has no real value, yet that didn't stop her. The appreciation evolved into a major fixation, as she acquired all copies of this card available to her. She quickly got into a practice of going to her favorite shop regularly, and earned the nickname among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". They started reserving all incoming Bonsly #71 cards it received aside just for Hopkins. The majority of these go for a few dollars, she says, estimating that her total expenditure is approximately four hundred dollars only on the album itself.

Market Trends and Value

Currently, excellent Bonsly #71 cards can cost up to nearly $15. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards usually go for $4 and above. This rise in cost corresponds to her starting point building her set, although there are probably various influences. While it's true that the card is notorious with enthusiasts, Emily's social media updates regarding the card have attracted a huge audience. As awareness of its existence continues to spread to new fans, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. At the very least, collectors say that card market costs are skyrocketing this year across the board.

Unstoppable Determination

Nothing can halt her, however.

"The amazing thing is that a few followers and fans from her channel have sent their Bonsly cards to Emily for her album, and she is preserving these Bonsly safe forever," she declares. Instead of being put off, the audience are impressed and inspired by her collection.

"I've long desired to try this," an observer mentions. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card