Hyeseong Kim, the talented 21-year-old laying his mark on Major League Baseball, saw his dreams scaled new heights. With the Los Angeles Dodgers already glowing with stars, Kim decided to join the celestial parade by smashing his first MLB home run, a moment that electrified fans more than a late-night Dodger Dog. All eyes were on the rookie as he delivered on that starry night against the A’s, coasting the bullet 385 feet with a single swing in the third inning, contributing to the Dodgers’ assertive 9-3 win.
But the story doesn’t end with just the roar of his first home run. Enter Topps Now, the undisputed guardian of baseball’s treasured moments, bringing to life a special card release that celebrates not just the score but the spirit of the young phenom. While Topps has always been the go-to for memorializing game-defining moments, this particular release is a comic book-level origin story for collectors and fans alike. It marks the debut of Kim’s first-ever autograph card, an inclusion that has amateur and veteran card enthusiasts buzzing with excitement across fan forums and sneaker-stained collector basements alike.
Imagine clutching on to the ultra-rare 1-of-1 on-card autograph, inscribed poetically with “First Home Run.” It’s the kind of piece that promises not just immediate envy but a potential payoff, should Kim’s trajectory align with a Hall of Fame forecast. This singular artifact will be randomly distributed among the order redemption process. Beyond that monolithic card, a generous smattering of 15 additional autographed cards turn this into a treasure map for Dodgers’ aficionados, with variations nestled in low print runs of numbered acknowledgments—be it /10 or even a tantalizing /5.
For those who might not strike gold with an autograph, despair not; the hunt is chewy with options. There are various parallel versions of the base card offering a spectrum of splendor, including Gold Foil /50, Orange Foil /25, Black Foil /10, Red Foil /5, and a supreme singular 1/1 FoilFractor that might as well be made of pure baseball sorcery.
Topps doesn’t merely stop at celebrating a monumental inning. There are layers to this release edged with collectible curiosity—a playbook including three distinct editions of the card: the standard base, a variant marked by a short-printed image that’s begging to be framed, and nodding to Kim’s roots, a super short print delicately embroidered in the Korean language. It’s cultural appreciation minting, carving Kim’s international appeal into official memorabilia.
This time-limited release features buying options that signify savvy marketing but straight-up joy for any serious card collector. Choose between a lone ranger for $11.99 for those who stay loyal, a pack of five for $49.99 for the budding archivist, ten cards at $89.99 for those securing bets, or the die-hard fetching 20 cards for $169.99. As is the nature of Topps Now, the cards are only printed to order, available just for a fleeting 24 hours. Once gone, they blend into the ether of “only if” tales and post-auction jealousy.
Kim’s debut into the MLB spotlight is a testament to talent meeting the opportune. With him batting a dazzling .360 in his first 11 games, sporting an OPS of .840, his journey is laced with possibility, the kind of possibility card collectors tend to bank on with hopeful grins. Dodgers’ fans—those ever hopeful and ever devoted—have seen the making of legends, yet every new talent stirs their imaginations ever anew.
Whether a collector’s bookshelf is adorned with leather-bound tomes or plastic slabs encasing treasures like these, Kim’s first hit over the fence thrills with a promise that whispers of nostalgia for days unlogged. Crossing paths with a Topps Now card, be it the plethora of colorful foils or the prized autograph, ensures a piece of baseball history that’s as lively as the rookie’s impressive start. While only time will etch Kim’s standing in Dodger lore, in the realm of Tufts and trinkets, his card is poised to be a celebrated cornerstone in anyone’s collection, a harbinger of what dreams—printed and proliferating—are made of.
