A piece of cricketing history has found a new home after a baggy green cap worn by the legendary Sir Donald Bradman was sold for $460,000. The auction, held on the Gold Coast, concluded with an anonymous buyer securing the iconic item.
The cap dates from the 1947-48 Test series against India, which was Bradman’s final home series before his retirement. With a career batting average of 99.94, Bradman is widely regarded as the sport’s finest batter. He personally presented the cap to Indian cricketer SW Sohoni during that tour, and it remained within the Sohoni family’s private collection for over seven decades, never before displayed to the public.
Auction officials described the artifact as the “holy grail of cricket memorabilia,” noting it had been meticulously preserved out of public view for three generations. According to family tradition, relatives were only permitted a brief, supervised viewing upon turning sixteen.
The inside of the cap bears the inscribed names of both Bradman and Sohoni. The auction listing highlighted its significance as a tangible link to Australia’s dominant “Invincibles” era and the post-war resurgence of international sport. The 1947-48 series was also historic as independent India’s first Test tour of Australia.
Interest in the lot was intense, with bids opening at just one dollar and attracting participants from Australia, India, and the United Kingdom. The final hammer price of $460,000 does not include the standard buyer’s premium. Plans are for the cap to remain in Australia and be placed on display at a major museum.
While several of Bradman’s caps are known to exist—from an era when players received new headwear for each series—this particular piece’s provenance and condition made it a standout. Previous sales of Bradman’s debut cap and his final tour cap have also commanded high prices, though the record for a baggy green is held by one belonging to Shane Warne, which sold for over a million dollars for charity in 2020.