USA 1970's - Ceylon MN
Legion Post #529

A modern USA blue plastic Trade token from Legion Post #529 of Ceylon, Martin County, Minnesota, identifying with the birth place of Vice President Walter Mondale. Probably issued around 1976.

SPECIFICATIONS
Value55 ¢
AlloyPlastic
Diameter28.6 mm
Thickness1.6 mm
Weight1.10 gms
ShapeRound
EdgePlain
DieAxis-15°
legionpost529_ceylon_mn_55c_obverse legionpost529_ceylon_mn_55c_reverse
Token Catalog #132514

Obverse : GOOD FOR 55 55¢ IN TRADE at center in three lines CEYLON LEGION above and POST #529 below along the periphery.
Reverse : Legend BIRTHPLACE V. P. WALTER MONDALE at center in three lines

The Ernest G. Nassen Legion Post organized in 1920. They built the pavilion for their legion meeting hall. and later turned it over to the to the village of Ceylon.

See also smaller (23.6 mm) and older Aluminum token.

1966 October 29, Shelton Gunaratne, on a World Press Institute fellowship at Macalester College, St. Paul had a friend from the Twin Cities bring him to Ceylon. He had discovered that his native island of Ceylon had a namesake in Minnesota. He met MN Senator Walter F. Mondale at Worthington's Turkey Days this fall. Gunaratne said of that meeting: When I told Senator Mondale that I was born in Ceylon, Senator Mondale said he was born in Ceylon, and soon discovered we were talking about two different places.

1976 December 30, Ceylon, MN birthplace of Vice President-elect Walter Mondale proudly made preparations for Inauguration Day. A new banner furnished by Ceylon businessmen waved across main street, a pastel sketch of Mondale done by Mrs. Eva Harper hangs in Petersen's Cafe.

1977 January 20, special cancellation was available in only three places designated by the U S Postal Service - Ceylon,(Birthplace of Vice-President Walter Mondale), Plains, GA (The home of President Jimmy Carter), and Washington, D.C.

1996 Charlene and Jerry Buchan leased the bar from Nassen-Detert American Legion Post #529.

The token was scanned at 300 dpi and the images are displayed at 200 dpi. I thank Gerald Rosenberg of Ceylon MN for sending me this recent token in 2003 February.

Mondale, Walter Frederick (born 1928 January 5 in Ceylon MN) of Minneapolis,
Minnesota Attorney General, 1960-64;
U.S. Senator from Minnesota, 1964-76;
Vice President of the United States, 1977-81 under Jimmy Carter;
ReElection - Democratic, 1980; (defeated)
Democratic candidate for President of the United States, 1984 (defeated)
. U.S. Ambassador to Japan, 1993.

See also the Ceylon MN token site for more stories.