A rare Baggy Green cap personally given by Sir Donald Bradman to a fellow Test cricketer will be auctioned by Lloyds Auctions, with bidding set to close on Australia Day 2026.

The cap, which has been fully authenticated, opened for online bidding at $1 and at the time of publishing, currently sits at $130. According to Lloyds Auctions, the item has remained within the recipient’s family for more than 75 years, passed down across three generations, and has never been publicly displayed or previously offered for sale.

The Baggy Green was handed directly to a fellow Test cricketer who played alongside Bradman late in his career. Caps from Bradman’s era are considered exceptionally rare, as players typically receive a new cap at the start of each Test series, with additional issues uncommon. Most surviving examples are now held in museums or tightly held private collections, making appearances on the open market unusual, particularly those with clear provenance.

Auction experts expect strong domestic and international interest, with predictions the cap could fetch $1 million or more due to Bradman’s enduring status and the uninterrupted chain of ownership.

The auction is expected to attract interest from private collectors, museums, institutions and cricket enthusiasts in Australia and overseas.

Lloyds Auctions Chief Operations Officer Lee Hames said the item’s rarity and timing contributed to its significance.

“This is a genuine piece of cricket history that Sir Donald Bradman personally gifted,” Hames said.

“Its uninterrupted family ownership for 75 years and its direct link to ‘The Don’ make it one of the most important Bradman-related pieces to come to auction. Closing on Australia Day gives it special national resonance for collectors honouring our sporting heritage.”

Sir Don Bradman retired from Test cricket in 1948 with a career batting average of 99.94, a figure widely regarded as one of the greatest statistical achievements in world sport. Bradman’s legacy continues to hold a prominent place in Australia’s sporting and cultural history.