A new quarter honoring the first American woman to travel to space was released on Monday by the U.S. Mint.
It's the second quarter to be released by the U.S. Mint as part of its American Women Quarters program.
Dr. Sally Ride was also the youngest American in space when at 32, she blasted off into space on the Challenger in 1983.
“Dr. Sally Ride captured the Nation’s imagination as a symbol of the ability of women to shatter barriers. Heralding her accomplishments via this beautiful quarter provides the Mint with yet another opportunity to connect America through coins,” said Mint Deputy Director Ventris C. Gibson in a news release. “The historic four-year AWQ program celebrates the breadth and depth of accomplishments of American women throughout our Nation’s history.”
The U.S. Mint said the heads of each coin would show a portrait of America's first president George Washington facing right.
The tails side of the quarter will feature Ride next to a window on the space shuttle, which was inspired by her quote, “But when I wasn’t working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth.”
The Mint said the inscription “E PLURIBUS UNUM” was intentionally positioned over the Earth next to America to indicate that Dr. Ride was the first into space out of all women in the United States.
The American Women Quarters program began this year and will continue through 2025, with the Mint using five quarters per year that will feature trailblazing American women.
The first coin released in the program featured writer Maya Angelou.
