A piece of historical cricketing memorabilia, the baggy green cap belonging to the legendary Australian batsman, Don Bradman will be auctioned on Tuesday in Sydney. It is one such relic scattered with holes, generally expected to go for as much as $260,000 USD.
Awarded to Don Bradman during that first overseas Test series for India after independence, this cap becomes a relic of considerable heritage in the game of cricket. Bradman went on to score an astonishing 715 runs in a mere six innings during the series, averaging 178.75, with three centuries and a double ton to his credit.
This, according to auction house Bonhams, is “the only known baggy green” from one of Bradman’s most productive Test series. Despite sustained wear from fades and insect damage to a partially torn peak-it is expected to go for anything from $195,000 to $260,000.
Legacy of the Baggy Green
The baggy green cap is regarded by players and fans alike as the most iconic badge of honor in Australian Test cricket. Don Bradman, widely considered to be the best batsman of all time, retired with an unmatched Test batting average of 99.94. The cricketing authority, Wisden, hailed him as the greatest cricketer ever to play the game.
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A cap worn by Bradman while making his Test debut in 1928 was the highest price ever for anything associated with him at $290,000 when it went under the hammer in 2020. This record, however, was surpassed by Shane Warne’s baggy green, which sold in 2020 for $650,000 toward bushfire relief in Australia.
Both have made their indelible marks on cricket history. Don Bradman passed away in 2001 at the age of 92, while Shane Warne died unexpectedly at the age of 52 in 2022.