American Women Quarters 2022 Rolls and Bags - Dr. Sally Ride

The American Women Quarters™ Program is a four-year series celebrating the accomplishments and contributions made by women to the development and history of the U.S. Beginning in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the Mint is issuing five new quarters each year featuring reverse designs honoring a group of prominent American women.

The new quarters honor a diverse group of notable American women who made significant contributions in a variety of fields, including suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored are from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Sally Ride is featured on the second coin released in this program.

The first American woman to soar into space, Ride captured the Nation’s imagination as a symbol of the ability of women to shatter barriers. Her historic flight represented just one aspect of a remarkable and multi-faceted life.

She was also an athlete, physicist, science writer, and inspirational leader in science education. When she blasted off aboard space shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, Ride became the first American woman in space.

The reverse (tails) design depicts Ride next to a window on the space shuttle, inspired by her quote, “But when I wasn’t working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth.” It was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Elana Hagler and sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill. The inscription “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is intentionally positioned over the Earth next to the U.S., indicating that Ride was the first American woman in space. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” and “DR. SALLY RIDE.”

The common obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington. This design was originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, which honored the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. The inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2022.”

Honor the courageous steps and accomplishments of women who have created positive change. We invite you to start your collection of the new American Women Quarters!