Ballantine Class Of 1941 - 1966 25th Reunion Can

Princeton 1941 Reunion Drinking Cup

Produced for the twenty-fifth reunion of Princeton University’s Class of 1941, held between June 8 and June 12, 1966, this 16-ounce straight steel drinking mug was manufactured specifically for alumni festivities. Designed with an open top rim to function directly as a party cup, the container prominently displays the Princeton University crest bearing the Latin motto Dei Sub Numine Viget, a top banner referencing Princeton's traditional ethos with "Greatest in the Nation's Service," and an illustration of the Princeton tiger mascot wielding a club atop a globe marked with "41."

The Ballantine brand stood as one of the most recognizable beverage names in mid-century America, famous for its interlocking three-ring emblem representing "Purity, Body, and Flavor." Marketed extensively through sports sponsorships—most notably with the New York Yankees—and catchy slogans like "Ask the man for Ballantine," the brand was celebrated across the Eastern seaboard for both its lager and its dry-hopped ale.

P. Ballantine & Sons originated in Newark, New Jersey, founded in 1840 by Scottish immigrant Peter Ballantine. After surviving Prohibition through the sale of malt extracts, the brewery was purchased by the Badenhausen brothers and grew into one of the three largest brewing operations in the country by the 1950s. As national macro-breweries consolidated their market share in the late 1960s, Ballantine faced rising costs and shifting consumer preferences. The Newark plant was permanently shuttered in 1972 when the company was sold to the Falstaff Brewing Corporation.

Commemorative collegiate cans and drinking mugs represent a distinct niche within vintage can collecting. Because they were produced in limited quantities exclusively for attendees of milestone Ivy League and university reunions, they are valued by collectors for their historical connection to specific campus traditions and mid-century promotional canning.