Anna May Wong
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Issued Date: October 25, 2022
Description: The 2022 Anna May Wong American Women quarter, the fifth in the series, honors the first Chinese-American film star, featuring a close-up portrait of her resting her head on her hand surrounded by marquee-style lights. Designed by Emily Damstra, this coin marks the first time an Asian American is featured on U.S. currency.
Design Details:
Reverse (Tails): Features a stylized portrait of Anna May Wong with her hand near her face, evoking the glamour of Hollywood's Golden Age. The design highlights her distinctive hairdo, expressive eyebrows, and intense gaze.
Reverse Inscriptions: "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "QUARTER DOLLAR," and "ANNA MAY WONG".
Obverse (Heads): A portrait of George Washington, originally designed by Laura Gardin Fraser for the 1932 quarter, representing a return to classical coin design.
Significance:
Trailblazer: Wong appeared in over 60 films, overcoming severe racial stereotyping to make her mark on cinema.
Context: The coin was released to recognize her, and she was the first Asian American to star in a U.S. television show, The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951).
Description: The 2022 Anna May Wong American Women quarter, the fifth in the series, honors the first Chinese-American film star, featuring a close-up portrait of her resting her head on her hand surrounded by marquee-style lights. Designed by Emily Damstra, this coin marks the first time an Asian American is featured on U.S. currency.
Design Details:
Reverse (Tails): Features a stylized portrait of Anna May Wong with her hand near her face, evoking the glamour of Hollywood's Golden Age. The design highlights her distinctive hairdo, expressive eyebrows, and intense gaze.
Reverse Inscriptions: "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "QUARTER DOLLAR," and "ANNA MAY WONG".
Obverse (Heads): A portrait of George Washington, originally designed by Laura Gardin Fraser for the 1932 quarter, representing a return to classical coin design.
Significance:
Trailblazer: Wong appeared in over 60 films, overcoming severe racial stereotyping to make her mark on cinema.
Context: The coin was released to recognize her, and she was the first Asian American to star in a U.S. television show, The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951).