Finding Ellis Island Collectibles and Memorabilia
From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty symbolized hope, freedom, and opportunity for more than twelve million immigrants. The historical significance of immigration during these years cannot be overstated. Whether fleeing a violent war, escaping persecution, or looking for a better way of life, the millions who came through Ellis Island left a legacy of strength and persistence.
Collectors, history buffs, and researchers looking for family connections seek out Ellis Island items and memorabilia like photos, tickets, and log books. In 1996, FamilySearch, The American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island, and the National Park Service teamed up to digitize arrival records previously stored at the National Archives.
The database went live in 2001, and anyone could search the millions of records by name, arrival date, and country of origin. While the database is handy for genealogy research, collectors mostly want actual paper records, postcards, photos, and other historical ephemera. Documents from Ellis Island, especially original examples like an Inspection Card, can be hard to find.
WELCOMING THE STRANGER
Although Ellis Island was not the only port where arriving immigrants were processed, it was a major hub, especially for third-class “steerage” passengers. First- and second-class passengers went through a very quick inspection process onboard their ships. However, passengers who arrived in lower-class accommodations were scrutinized for disease, financial stability, and literacy.
Most of the records from these passengers detail health inspections, baggage searches, and the ships that carried immigrants to the US. Ellis Island opened officially on January 1, 1892. The facility included hospital services, dorms, and dining halls, but the accommodations were not luxurious. Photographs and other items from the thousands of passengers arriving almost daily are rare in thrift stores or antique shops but crop up in estate sales.
Fun fact: Ellis Island and its sister Liberty Island, which features the Statue of Liberty, stretch over New York and New Jersey. However, the property is federally owned and managed by the National Park Service. Even though the Statue of Liberty and the buildings on Ellis Island have separate histories and timelines, many collectible items feature both places.
COINS FROM ELLIS ISLAND
A search on the WorthPoint Price Guide for Ellis Island returns tens of thousands of items; of those, over 37,000 are coins. One of the most popular coins is the 1986 Liberty Dollar, which the US Mint first struck in October 1985. Issued as a commemorative coin for the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, the coin also features the building on Ellis Island that contains the registry room, dormitory space, and the infamous “Stairs of Separation.”
Detained immigrants who were not allowed into the country due to health or legal reasons went up one part of the staircase. In contrast, those allowed into the country went in a different direction. Families were often split up; if a child had a communicable disease like measles, parents would have to leave them in the care of the Ellis Island hospital.
Collectors who are interested in coins should be aware that one popular collectible is actually what’s called a “fantasy coin.” Usually advertised as Ellis Island collectibles, the coins have the date 1906 on them, but they are re-strikes of the Liberty Dollar coins and are not authentic.
RECENT AUCTION FINDS
The catalog of an ephemera auction from the Eric C. Caren archives handled by Potter and Potter contains a few documents from Ellis Island. WorthPoint spoke with Chad Reingold, Potter and Potter’s fine books and manuscript cataloger, about two items in the auction related to building construction and repairs and contractor invoices. Reingold said that many collectors of Ellis Island memorabilia mostly want ephemera and documents and are usually interested in genealogy or have a family connection to Ellis Island.
Reingold said, “I would believe that Ellis Island is more of a niche field, appealing to people who either came through it before it closed in 1954 (an increasingly elderly group), or people who research family history.” He believes the lots in the upcoming auction are unique and that he hasn’t seen many original items from the sixty-two years the immigration station was open.
“I’ve seen some artwork occasionally offered based on immigrants at the island,” Reingold told WorthPoint in an email. He explained, “However, I would say that our lots are pretty interesting and rare and would be of the highest interest to collectors.”
COLLECTING HISTORY
Each immigrant inspection card, family photo, or commemorative coin reminds us of the millions who passed through Ellis Island on their way to a new life. In June 1897, just five years after it opened, the immigration station burned to the ground in a devastating fire. It was promptly rebuilt, but thousands of immigration records, like passenger manifests, were lost in the fire.
Collectors play a large part in preserving photos and historical documents from that time. While the immigration history center at Ellis scanned and preserved millions of records, whenever an original piece of immigration history is found “in the wild,” such as at an estate sale or auction, whether it’s a photo, a log book, or a personal item, collectors will want it.
National Ellis Island Family History Day is April 17, 2024. Estimates are that about 40 percent of Americans have at least one family member who processed through Ellis Island. The historical records from the island show the beginnings of the melting pot that the United States would become.
Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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