A cap worn by Australia's legendary cricketer Don Bradman is being showcased at Bonhams auction house in Sydney on December 2.
A 'baggy green' Test cap donned by the iconic Australian cricketer Don Bradman fetched $250,000 at an auction held on Tuesday. Collectors eagerly sought to acquire this rare piece of cricketing history. The cap, nearly 80 years old, exhibited sun-fading, insect damage, and a torn peak. Auction house Bonhams noted that Bradman wore this cap during India's 1947-48 tour of Australia, marking his final Test series on home soil. The auction, which lasted for 10 minutes, saw a surge in bidding, driving the price from an initial $160,000 to a final winning bid of $250,000 (Aus$390,000). Including the 'buyer's premium' fees, the total cost amounted to $310,000. Bonhams confirmed that this was the only known 'baggy green' cap worn by Bradman during that series, where he scored 715 runs in six innings at an average of 178.75, including three centuries and a double-hundred. Australian cricketers receive these dark green woollen caps upon their Test debuts, and they are highly cherished by both players and fans, often becoming more valued as they show wear and tear. Another 'baggy green' cap worn by Bradman during his Test debut in 1928 sold for $290,000 in 2020. This was significantly less than the $650,000 paid for Shane Warne's 'baggy green' cap, which was auctioned to support Australian bushfire victims earlier that year. Bradman retired with an unparalleled Test batting average of 99.94 and has been hailed by cricket authority Wisden as the greatest cricketer to grace the sport. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 92.
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