The United States has four major coins. They are the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. Now, one of these coins is getting a big change. On October 24, the U.S. started pressing a new design into the U.S. quarter. The fresh coin features actor Anna May Wong. She is the first Asian American to star on American !
Wong was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1905. Her birth name was Wong Liu Tsong. It meant “Frosted Yellow Willows” in Chinese. But her parents also called her Anna May.
As a kid, young Anna May would use her lunch money to go to the movies. At age 9, she decided she wanted to be a movie star. Wong was often bullied because of her race. But that didn’t stop her. She became the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood!
At age 14, Wong was cast in her first role. She was an extra in the movie The Red Lantern. After that, she landed small roles in other films. Wong earned her first leading role in a silent film called The Toll of the Sea in 1922. Wong went on to appear in more than 60 movies. She was in one of the first movies in color!
Wong died in 1961. She was 56. People still remember her as a trailblazing movie star. She inspired many Asian Americans in film. Now, Wong’s legacy will also live on in the world of money.
The of Wong’s quarter shows a close-up of her face with her head resting on her hand. Small light bulbs that resemble movie sign lights surround her image. Artist Emily Damstra created the design. George Washington still appears on the of the quarter. The U.S. Mint plans to create more than 300 million Wong quarters.
Wong’s quarter may be worth 25 cents, but it will be worth much more to women’s history.
Updated October 24, 2022, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Alexa Tirapelli
