Don Bradman’s ‘Baggy Green’ cap sold for $460,000 at auction after being ‘hidden for 75 years’

The cap of Australian cricket legend Don Bradman was sold at an auction on the Gold Coast on Monday

A cap worn by cricket legend Don Bradman has sold at auction (Getty Images)

An iconic "Baggy Green" cap, once worn by legendary Australian cricketer Don Bradman, has fetched a staggering $460,000 at auction on the Gold Coast, setting a new record for a cap belonging to the celebrated batsman.

The cap, donned by Bradman during the 1947-48 series against India, was a personal gift to Indian cricketer Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni.

His family meticulously preserved the treasured item for 75 years.

Lee Hames, chief operating officer of Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers, highlighted the cap's remarkable journey, stating: "It has been hidden for 75 years, that’s over three generations under lock and key. If you were a family member you were only allowed to look at it when you were 16 years old for five minutes."

Sold to an anonymous bidder, local media reports indicate the cap will be put on public display at an Australian museum.

Bradman is widely regarded as the greatest Test batter of all time (Getty)

Inscribed with "D.G. Bradman" and "S.W. Sohoni" on the inside, the cap remains in good condition, contrasting with another Bradman cap that sold for $311,000 in 2024 despite being sun-faded and insect-damaged.

Bradman, widely considered the greatest batsman in history, played 52 Tests with an unparalleled batting average of 99.94, almost 40 runs higher than any other player in history.

Bradman hit 29 Test centuries in total, with 19 of those coming in Ashes cricket against England. This remains the record for a player against a single team.

He also scored 12 double centuries, another world record that he still holds, and he famously required just four runs in his final innings to finish his career with an average above 100.

However, Bradman was dismissed for a duck in his last innings at the Oval in 1948 as he fell just short of a three-figure average.

Bradman passed away at the age of 92 in 2001.