She Has Amassed Numerous of Pokemon Drainage Hole Cards, and You Can't Stop Her.

Pokémon creators introduced collectors to the card series Diamond and Pearl edition back in 2007, featuring the Bonsly card. On this artwork, Gen IV stone creature is shown by designer Harada-san in a somewhat awkward situation. In the image, the predecessor to Sudowoodo can be seen toppled and shedding tears. But don't misunderstand, yet. As its move Fake Tears, the little creature aims to manipulate the other player's mood with the goal of lowering their offensive power. Iconic piece, no? Electroacoustic harpist Hopkins certainly thinks so. And she's got a collection book with 305 cards of Bonsly to show for it.

The Entire Assortment and Its Highlights

But that isn't the whole collection either. She has acquired a score of reverse foil versions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the little guy with shiny foil covering everything except the main image. The most valuable item, however, turns out to be the PSA 6-rated reverse holo of Bonsly. Sure, it's far from a mint-condition Charizard illustration. Yet, do you possess an amusing, almost perfect card of Bonsly maintained in its eternal glory? I didn't think so.

The Start of the Obsession

Hopkins has spent much of 2025 stockpiling each Bonsly card from 2007 that she could locate. She discovered of this rare card at the start of the year, during a discussion the most infamous cards in the Pokémon TCG with a staff member at a local shop. Crying Omanyte was considered, just like the lonely Cubone at the theme park. However, the one that Crying Bonsly, aka the seventeenth card, which captured her interest.

The Concept of Bonsly

Bonsly draws clear inspiration by bonsai plants, which are often grown in containers with holes at the bottom. These holes are intended to support healthy development, in fact enthusiasts encourage each other to drill holes into their pots when none are present. Bonsai can also be placed on shallow pots lacking drainage, known as suiban, and the collected moisture can help growers arrange their bonsai to resemble outdoor scenes. Bonsly is the former, hence the hole.

The Infamous Hole Card

Despite this logical explanation, however, The company appears somewhat overly focused regarding the hole in Bonsly. Even merchandise such as Bonsly plush toys make sure to include a hollow cavern on the underside of this plant Pokémon. It doesn't matter if the depiction of this particular Bonsly appears sad or at ease: It will display a hole. This hole represents an intrinsic part of Bonsly's design. Card number 71 became a meme within the community both due to the famous hole, as well as its rarity. For years before, this Bonsly card was the single type of Bonsly available printed in a game in which most Pokémon are commonly shown in multiple editions. For sixteen years, should you desire a Bonsly card, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"When I saw this card on the list of infamous cards, I felt I had found the one for me," she explains over email, mentioning how it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She admits freely to inform you her fondness for Bonsly #71 is completely useless, but she didn't care. The appreciation turned into a major fixation, as she acquired all copies of this card she could possibly find. She soon developed a practice of stopping by her local card shop regularly, and was dubbed to the employees as the Bonsly collector. They started reserving all incoming Bonsly #71 cards it received aside just for Hopkins. Most of these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she notes, approximating her total expenditure is about $400 only on the album itself.

The Financial Side

Nowadays, excellent the card might be valued at around fifteen dollars. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill versions usually go for starting at $4. This rise in cost more or less coincides with her starting point collecting seriously, though there are likely several factors at play. Although this card is famous with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts regarding the card have also garnered millions of views. With information about this card continues to spread to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, investors mention how card market costs are climbing currently in general.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Nothing can halt her, yet.

"The amazing thing remains that certain fans and enthusiasts of the YouTube channel have shipped their Bonsly cards her way to expand the set, and they will remain them secure indefinitely," Hopkins says. Rather than recoil in horror, fans feel admiration and motivation by her collection.

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