Schlitz Class Of 59 Princeton 10th Reunion Can

Princeton '59 10th Reunion Schlitz

The Schlitz Class Of 59 Princeton 10th Reunion Can is a commemorative collegiate breweriana item produced by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Created specifically to celebrate the decennial gathering of Princeton University’s undergraduate Class of 1959, the can represents an enduring tradition connecting American major brewing giants with Ivy League alumni festivities.

Historical Background

Princeton University boasts one of the most storied reunion cultures in the United States, famous for its grand alumni parade (the P-rade), customized beer jackets, and specially commissioned beverage containers. Beginning prior to World War II, classes celebrating major milestone anniversaries began contracting prominent national and regional breweries to supply customized beer cans for their reunion headquarters and hospitality tents. Jos. Schlitz was among the leading partners selected by Princeton reunion committees to produce these commemorative editions.

For the Class of 1959’s milestone tenth gathering, Schlitz produced commemorative cans incorporating class-specific imagery and celebration markings alongside the brewer's classic branding. The Class of 1959 has a celebrated identity at Princeton, well known for its "Tipsy Tiger" mascot—a caricature originally drawn for their undergraduate senior jackets that later became their permanent class insignia.

Breweriana Significance

Collegiate reunion cans occupy a specialized and competitive niche within beer can collecting. According to archives curated by historical organizations like the Brewery Collectibles Club of America (BCCA) and the Princetoniana Museum, Princeton commemorative issues make up the vast majority of all known college-related beer cans produced in the United States.

Because reunion editions were produced strictly for private alumni distribution over a single celebration weekend rather than retail sale, surviving specimens from the Class of 1959 are prized pieces of mid-century collegiate breweriana. Variations exist across different Princeton reunion releases, reflecting different label formats, can constructions, and brewery partnerships spanning the tradition's history.