As part of a new initiative, the US Mint will honor Anna Mae Wong, star of films such as “Shanghai Express,” by making her the first Asian American to appear on US coinage, setting her profile in circles as production begins October 18. .
The printed quarter displays a portrait of Wong lying on her hand, as a tribute to what most consider to be the first Chinese American movie star. She was born in 1905 in Los Angeles’ Chinatown and died in 1961 of a heart attack at her home in Santa Monica.
Wong started her career in entertainment at the age of 14, and worked her way up to her first movie role. In the following years, she rose to stardom as one of the first Asian American stars in Hollywood and appeared in more than 50 films. Although the quarter seeks to pay tribute to her career in the film industry, it also acknowledges the difficulties that came her way in trying to land meaningful roles as an Asian American actress during a time when racial discrimination and common practices of putting white actors in the “yellow face” The portrayal of Asian characters was prevalent.In addition, Wong’s characters were often killed in the films they starred in, which she once joked about, saying that she “already died a thousand deaths.”
The The “American Woman” initiative from the US Mint It also features esteemed writer Maya Angelou and astronaut Sally Ride as well as Wilma Mankiller and Nina Otero Warren, who were featured in quarters earlier in the year. Angelou was the first black woman to appear on US currency, while Ride was celebrated as the first American woman to fly into space. Each year until 2025, five new quarters will be produced featuring influential women who may have been overlooked in American history.
The US Mint is expected to produce more than 300 million a quarter of Wong’s production through the American Woman program.
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