Silver Five Ounces 2017 Ellis Island, Coin from United States - detailed information

This coin is part of the America the Beautiful silver bullion coins (abbreviated ATB) - a series of 56 silver bullion coins with a face value of a quarter dollar. The coins in the series contain 5oz (five troy ounces) of silver, making them the largest silver bullion coins issued to date by the United States Mint. The design of the coins duplicates exactly - though much enlarged - each of the America the Beautiful quarters. They were issued from 2010 to 2021.

All coins in the series feature a common obverse depicting George Washington in a restored version of the portrait created by John Flanagan for the 1932 Washington quarter, while the reverses feature five individual designs for each year of the program (one in 2021), each depicting a national park or national site - one from each state, federal district, and territory.

The Ellis Island quarter design is the fourth to be released in 2017 and the 39th overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program; it was released on 28 August 2017 and represents the state of New Jersey.

From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was the largest and most active immigration station in the United States, where approximately 12 million immigrants were processed. On average, the inspection process took approximately 3-7 hours. For the vast majority of immigrants, Ellis Island truly was an “Island of Hope” - the first stop on their way to new opportunities and experiences in the United States. For the rest, it became the “Island of Tears” - a place where families were separated and individuals were denied entry into the country.

Ellis Island was added to the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965 by Presidential Proclamation and is administered by the National Park Service. The main building re-opened in September 1990 as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, at that time the largest restoration project in U.S. history. Most of the remaining un-restored buildings on Ellis Island were one of the first and largest public health hospitals in the United States. The facility was considered to be the most modern of its day. The 725-bed Ellis Island Hospital Complex, completed in 1909, consisted of a powerhouse, morgue, laboratory and housing for doctors and nurses. Covered corridors connected the main hospital building to infectious disease wards, kitchens, laundries and recreation facilities for patients and staff.

Since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1998, Ellis Island, all of which is federal property, belongs within the territorial jurisdiction of both New York and New Jersey depending upon where you are. The iconic main building, housing the immigration museum, is within the boundary of New York State. Since the island was expanded over many years to its current 27.5 acres, this expanded area, which includes the hospital complex, is now within the territory of New Jersey.