Background
The Dr. Sally Ride Quarter is the second coin in the American Women Quarters™ Program. Dr. Sally Ride was a physicist, astronaut, educator, and the first American woman to soar into space.
When she blasted off aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, Ride became the first American woman – and, at 32, the youngest American – in space. During the six days of mission STS-7, she deployed and retrieved a satellite with the shuttle’s robotic arm. Her second shuttle flight, STS-41G, made history as the first space mission with two women crew members.
After her historic spaceflight, Ride saw that her example was a powerful tool for inspiring young people, especially girls, to pursue careers in science. She teamed up with Tam O’Shaughnessy to write six science books for young people. “The Third Planet: Exploring the Earth from Space,” won the American Institute of Physics’ Children’s Science Writing Award in 1995.
To narrow the gender gap in science and engineering careers, Ride and O’Shaughnessy started an education company to inspire young people, especially girls, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In 2001, they joined like-minded friends with expertise in physics, administration, and technology to found Sally Ride Science. One of Ride’s goals in starting the Sally Ride Science organization was to make sure girls and boys of all backgrounds had access to role models who looked like them.
Ride received many honors during her life, including induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame, National Women’s Hall of Fame, and Aviation Hall of Fame.
Characteristics
The obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington, originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washington’s 200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John Flanagan design.
The reverse (tails) depicts Dr. Sally 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.” The inscription “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is intentionally positioned over the Earth next to America, indicating that out of all women in the United States, Dr. Ride was the first into space.
Obverse Inscriptions
- LIBERTY
- IN GOD WE TRUST
- 2022
Reverse Inscriptions
- E PLURIBUS UNUM
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
- QUARTER DOLLAR
- DR. SALLY RIDE
Mint and Mint Mark
Specifications
| Composition | Weight | Diameter | Thickness | Edge | No. of Reeds |
|---|
Cupro-Nickel 8.33% Nickel Balance Copper | 5.670 g | 0.955 in. 24.26 mm | 1.75 mm | Reeded | 119 |
Artist Information
Obverse- Laura Gardin Fraser (1889-1966)
Reverse Content last reviewed October 6, 2021
FAQs
The most valuable 2022-D Dr Sally Ride quarter is graded MS68 and was sold in a 2023 eBay auction for an enviable $995.
Who are the women on the 2024 quarters? ›
In 2024, the program will issue new quarters honoring five women: Pauli Murray, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Mary Edwards Walker, Celia Cruz, and Zitkala-Ša. These women's accomplishments were as diverse as America itself. They were activists, authors, physicians, and politicians.
What was Sally Ride the first American woman to do answer? ›
On June 18, 1983, NASA Astronaut Sally K. Ride became the first American woman in space, when she launched with her four crewmates aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7. Ride and five other women had been selected in 1978 for NASA Astronaut Group 8, the first American selection class to include females.
What year did the Sally Ride quarter come out? ›
Sally Ride debuted March 21, 2022. The coin is the latest in the American Women Quarters collection.
What quarter is worth $400? ›
Virginia 2000-P MS68: $400.
Why are women's quarters valuable? ›
Coins that are sought after by many collectors tend to be more valuable. The entire American Women Quarters series is celebrated for its representation of influential women, making each coin special in its own right.
Which quarter is worth $35000 today? ›
1947 Silver Washington Quarter, MS68 – $35,000
Circulated coins range from $6 to $9, while even a gem MS66 is worth around only $60. Just four coins share the title of finest known example, however. They're graded MS68, and one was last sold in 2021 for $32,400. Today, the PCGS values them at $35,000 apiece.
What quarter is worth $2000 right now? ›
What quarter is worth $2000 right now? The 1932-D Washington quarter had a relatively low mintage of 436,800 pieces, making it one of the rarest in the series. The value of this quarter in higher grades (uncirculated conditions) can significantly exceed $2,000.
Is a 2024 quarter worth anything? ›
2024 American Women Quarters
The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the American Women Quarters series of Quarters in the U.S. Coins contains 15 distinct entries with CPG® values between $0.40 and $32.40.
What did Sally Ride do before she died? ›
BEYOND SPACE
Sally retired from NASA in 1987. She became a science fellow at the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford University. In 1989, Sally joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego as a professor of physics and director of the California Space Institute.
The soft-spoken California physicist broke the gender barrier on June 18, 1983, when she became the first American woman in space. Sally Ride died on July 23, 2012, at the age of 61. This tribute is based on earlier interviews and remembrances by her colleagues.
What Sally Ride quarters are worth money? ›
The Sally Ride quarter with the error isn't the only one worth a lot more than face value, a gross mistake seen on one makes it worth up to two grand, a misprint on another has it valued at $200, and some extra material has another worth a bunch - in fact millions of quarters are actually worth $20 and not 25 cents.
What does Sally Ride quarter say? ›
The inscription “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is intentionally positioned over the Earth next to the U.S., indicating that Dr. Ride was the first American woman in space. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” and “DR. SALLY RIDE.”
Are Sally Ride quarters in circulation? ›
Sally Ride quarter dollars in the American Women program beginning at noon Eastern Time March 22. The coin is the second of five releases in 2022 for the four-year, 20-coin American Women Quarters Program. The Sally Ride coin is set to be released into general circulation through the Federal Reserve March 21.
Which quarter is most valuable? ›
With a limited mintage of just 6,738, the 1804 Bust quarter is a numismatic rarity and one of the most valuable US quarters — a truly coveted treasure for collectors. In circulated conditions, this coin is worth between $2800 and $75000, while coins in uncirculated condition have sold for almost $500,000.
What is the rarest quarter horse? ›
Due to the mixed heritage, nearly all colours are present in the breed. The base colours are the most abundant, followed by the cream and dun dilutions. Champagne and pearl are quite rare, and silver is known only in very few families.
What is the error on the Bessie Coleman quarter? ›
Some Bessie Coleman quarters minted at the Philadelphia facility have a large die crack error on the reverse next to the aeroplane and the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM.
Why is Anna May Wong's quarter worth money? ›
The Anna May Wong Quarter stands out in all these categories. Its design, celebrating the first Chinese-American movie star and a symbol of breaking racial barriers in Hollywood, offers a strong historical and cultural significance that resonates with many collectors.
