What’s happening?
Sir Donald Bradman’s baggy green cap from the 1946–47 Ashes has been acquired by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. The Museum paid $438,550 for the cap, with half of the funds provided by the Australian Government’s National Cultural Heritage Account.
The cap is one of only 11 known Bradman baggy greens and will now sit in the Museum’s National Historical Collection.
Why it matters
The 1946–47 Ashes was the first Test series held after the Second World War. At a time when Australians were recovering from years of conflict, Bradman’s leadership on the cricket field brought renewed hope and unity.
His unmatched Test average of 99.94 made him not only a sporting hero but a cultural figure whose achievements became part of Australia’s identity. The cap symbolises this moment in history.
Local impact
The cap will be displayed in the recently reopened Landmarks gallery. This gallery is dedicated to telling Australia’s national story through objects that define key moments from 1770 to the present day.
By the numbers
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11 Bradman baggy greens are still known today.
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$438,550 was the purchase price.
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50 percent of the cost came from government funding.
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99.94 remains Bradman’s Test career batting average.
Zoom in
Tony Burke MP, Minister for the Arts, said, “The purchase safeguards an important piece of our national history for future generations.”
Museum director Katherine McMahon explained, “We are delighted this national treasure has found a home here at the National Museum of Australia for all Australians to enjoy.”
Zoom out
The National Cultural Heritage Account has helped safeguard other key items of Australian heritage, including a Colonial Billiard Table, a 1912 McDonald ‘Imperial’ tractor, and a rare 1923 thylacine skin.
What to look for next?
The baggy green will sit alongside other Bradman treasures, including an autographed bat from the 1934 Ashes and the Eddie Gilbert ball from 1931.
