Sir Donald Bradman’s iconic cap sells for record $460,000 at auction

Australian cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman’s cap has fetched a staggering $460,000 at auction, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for one of his caps. The landmark sale took place on Australia Day at Lloyds Auctions on the Gold Coast, highlighting the historic and national significance of the memorabilia.

The winning bid was placed by an anonymous Australian collector, who has confirmed that the prized cap will be displayed at a prominent museum, ensuring it remains accessible to the public. The cap holds immense historical value, having been personally gifted by Bradman to fellow Test cricketer S. W. Sohoni during the 1947-48 series against India, which marked Bradman’s final home Test series before his retirement in 1948.

Bradman bowed out with an unparalleled Test batting average of 99.94, a figure that continues to define his status as the greatest batter in the history of the game. Remarkably, the cap remained within the same family for over 75 years and had never before been publicly displayed or offered for sale.

“Unveil a piece of cricketing history with this stunning 1947–48 Australian Baggy Cap, crafted by Farmer’s Sydney and adorned with the Cricket Coat of Arms. Cherished in the family collection ever since, this cap links you to Don Bradman’s invincible era and a memorable exchange with the Indian squad,” the cap’s Lloyds listing said as quoted by India Today.

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Baggy Green caps from Sir Donald Bradman’s era are exceptionally rare, with only a handful known to exist, making them among the most coveted artefacts in cricket memorabilia. Bradman remains the game’s greatest icon, defined by statistics that continue to defy belief.

Across 52 Test matches for Australia, he amassed 6,996 runs at an extraordinary average of 99.94, an achievement unmatched in the history of the sport. Bradman struck 29 Test centuries, including two triple hundreds, and led Australia’s era of dominance between 1928 and 1948, setting an enduring benchmark for batting excellence.