By Darrin Lee Unser, coinnews.net
March 8, 2022

The United States Mint will begin offering 100-coin bags and 40-coin rolls of circulation-quality 2022 Dr. 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.

The March 22 sales comprise 100-coin canvas bags containing coins struck with a circulation finish at either the Denver Mint or Philadelphia Mint.

The bags are being offered at $40 each.

The coins are also being offered for $36 in a two-roll set, one roll each from the Denver and the Philadelphia Mint, each roll containing 40 coins.

A three-roll set, offered at $54, adds a 40-coin roll of Uncirculated 2022-S Sally Ride quarter dollars struck at the San Francisco Mint to the two-roll set.

The Sally Ride quarter dollar reverse design was created by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program designer Elana Hagler and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill, a member of the U.S. Mint’s engraving staff at the Philadelphia Mint.

Hagler’s reverse design, according to the U.S. Mint’s design narrative, 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.’ ”

The common obverse for the series replicates sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser’s design submission for a 1931 competition juried by the Commission of Fine Arts to select designs for the quarter dollar issued in 1932.

While the commission favored Fraser’s right-facing portrait of George Washington, the recommendation was overruled by Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, who approved a portrait of Washington facing left by sculptor John Flanagan.

Fraser’s designer’s initials, LGF, appear raised on the truncation of Washington’s portrait on the 2022 common obverse.

The Sally Ride quarter dollar is to be included in an American Women Quarters copper-nickel clad five-coin 2022-S Proof set; the standard 14-coin Proof set; a 14-coin 2022-S Silver Proof set; a five-coin 2022-S American Women Quarters Silver Proof set; a 2022-S Limited-Edition Silver Proof set; and the 28-coin Uncirculated coin set, containing 14 coins each from the Philadelphia and Denver Mints.

About Sally Ride

The Mint website explains Ride’s contributions to American history.

“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 female 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. … “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.”