She's Collected Countless of Pokémon Drainage Hole Cards, and You Can't Stop Her.
The makers of Pokémon unveiled fans to the trading card game Diamond & Pearl expansion back in 2007, showcasing the Bonsly illustration. In this card, the fourth generation Rock Pokémon is shown by designer the talented Harada in a somewhat awkward position. In the image, this pre-evolution appears fallen and crying. However, don't mistake this, though. Similar to its attack Fake Tears, Bonsly is trying to sway their opponent's emotions with the goal of reducing their damage output. Iconic piece, no? Harp player Emily is a firm believer. And she's got an album filled with 305 Bonsly cards to prove it.
The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights
However, that's not the whole collection also. She has acquired a score of holo reverse copies of this particular card, which depicts the little guy in reflective foil everywhere but the primary illustration. The prized possession, however, proves to be the PSA 6-rated holo reverse of Bonsly. Sure, it's not a high-grade Charizard illustration. Yet, do you possess an amusing, almost perfect Bonsly illustration maintained in its eternal glory? I thought as much.
The Start of the Obsession
Hopkins has spent a large part of this year accumulating every 2007 Bonsly card she can possibly find. She first heard of this rare card earlier this year, while talking about the notoriously odd cards among collectors with a staff member in a nearby store. Omanyte in tears was considered, along with Cubone by itself in an amusement park. Yet it was Bonsly crying, or card number 17, which captured Emily's focus.
Behind Bonsly's Look
The design of Bonsly is based by bonsai plants, which are often grown in containers that have drainage holes. These holes are intended to help the plant grow, in fact fans encourage each other to create openings on the bottom when none are present. They can also be positioned in shallow containers without holes, called suiban, and the retained water can help growers arrange their bonsai to resemble natural landscapes. Bonsly fits the initial category, hence the hole.
A Memorable and Notorious Card
Despite this logical explanation, though, Pokémon's creators looks a bit excessively attentive regarding the hole in Bonsly. Also, products such as Bonsly plush toys ensure they feature an empty space at the bottom of Bonsly. Regardless if the illustration of the Pokémon appears sad or content: It features a hole. This hole represents a key element of Bonsly's design. Card number 71 gained meme status among fans because of that drainage hole, as well as its status. For years before, Bonsly #71 remained the sole iteration of Bonsly available printed in a game where many of its monsters are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, should you desire a card of Bonsly, you were stuck for hole Bonsly.
A Growing Obsession
"Upon noticing Bonsly among the selections of infamous cards, I knew I discovered the one for me," Emily states in a message, noting that she was surprised to have never seen it before. She is quick to state her fondness for this particular card has no real value, but it didn't matter. The initial interest turned into a full-blown obsession, with Emily purchasing all copies of this card she could possibly find. She soon developed a practice of stopping by her favorite shop on a weekly basis, and was dubbed by workers as the Bonsly collector. They started reserving all incoming copies of Bonsly #71 that came in only for her. The majority of these are priced at one to three dollars, she mentions, calculating that she's spent about $400 only on the album itself.
Market Trends and Value
These days, pristine this Bonsly card might be valued at around fifteen dollars. While that is a premium price, run-of-the-mill versions tend to cost four dollars or more. The upward trend corresponds to when Hopkins started her collection in earnest, although there are probably multiple reasons. While it's true that this card is famous in the community, Emily's social media updates on it have also garnered a huge audience. With information regarding Bonsly #71 expands further to new fans, there's a chance their market price could keep rising. If nothing else, investors note that trading card game values are skyrocketing currently across the board.
Her Relentless Pursuit
Emily remains undeterred, though.
"The amazing thing is a few followers and viewers on social media have sent copies of Bonsly her way for her album, and I am keeping these Bonsly safe forever," Hopkins says. Instead of being put off, the audience are impressed and inspired by her collection.
"I've actually always wanted to do this," an observer mentions. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card
