Better hang onto that spare change—the U.S. Mint just announced that legendary 1920s starlet Anna May Wong will appear on the back of the quarter next year.
Wong’s quarter is one of five designs that spotlight the contributions of notable American women; the other 2022 honorees are Cherokee Nation chief Wilma Mankiller, poet Maya Angelou, astronaut Sally Ride and suffragette Nina Otero-Warren. The new releases mark the beginning of the “American Women Quarters Program,” which will celebrate five different women every year until 2025. While Ride and Angelou’s coins were announced this past April, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen selected Wong, Mankiller and Otero-Warren for recognition on the quarter after receiving input from the public.
In a press statement, U.S. Mint Acting Director Alison Doone said, “These inspiring coin designs tell the stories of five extraordinary women whose contributions are indelibly etched in American culture.”
Often described as Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star, Wong rose to fame with her roles in films like “Shanghai Express” and “Daughter of the Dragon.” She’s also known for her vocal criticisms of the studio system, as she frequently spoke out about the racism she endured as an actress.
