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Anna May Wong is set to become the first Asian American to appear on U.S. currency, as the United States Mint has decided to honor her by putting her likeness on new quarters.
As per the official website of the U.S. Mint, the quarter will go on sale on October 25. They can be purchased via the website and will be available in different bundles, with prices ranging from $36 to $54, depending on the set.
The top of the quarter will feature George Washington’s portrait - created by Laura Gardin Fraser on the occasion of Washington’s 200th birthday. On the reverse side, there will be a close-up of Anna May Wong with her head resting on her hand.
As part of their American Women program, the U.S. Mint will reportedly produce around 300 million quarters with Wong’s likeness. The initiative also includes writer Maya Angelou and astronaut Sally Ride alongside Wilma Mankiller and Nina Otero-Warren, who appeared earlier this year on quarter currencies.
Furthermore, five new quarters depicting women who left an impact in history but were ignored will be produced each year until 2025.
The Anna May Wong quarter can be purchased as 100-coin bags or as sets
The Anna May Wong quarter dollar will be the fifth and final American Women quarter dollar of the year. Variety reported that production of the quarters was scheduled for October 18. They will go on sale in the upcoming week.
The coins will be provided in 40 coin rolls of quarter dollars and will be produced at the mints in Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
The Philadelphia and Denver Mint coins will be available in separate 100-coin canvas bags for $40 each and two roll sets for $36. The $10 face value rolls will consist of 40 coins.
The coins from the San Francisco Mint will come as one roll in a three-roll set, priced at $54. It will include a 40-coin roll each from the ongoing coin production at each of the three Mints.
Who was Anna May Wong?
Anna May Wong was the first Chinese-American Hollywood movie star to gain international recognition for her exemplary work.
She began her career in the '20s, when she appeared in silent films like The Toll of the Sea and The Thief of Bagdad. She eventually became a fashion icon and traveled across United States and Europe, clinching roles in films like Daughter of the Dragon, Java Head, Daughter of Shanghai, and more.
During the late 1930s, Wong also appeared in various B-movies for Paramount Pictures. She took a break from acting during the Second World War and focused on helping the Chinese cause against Japan.
Wong returned to acting in the '50s and gained recognition for her performance in DuMont Television Network’s The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong. She died of a heart attack in 1961, while preparing for the musical drama film, Flower Drum Song. She was 56 years old at the time of death.
Now, more than half a century after her death, Wong is set to return once again, this time on U.S. currency.
