In 1864, the American Civil War had been raging for three years. The "High Tide of the Confederacy" was reached in July 1863, when General Robert E. Lee's forces fought the Union army for three days at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Although neither side scored a decisive victory, the Confederate army never recovered from the battle. By 1864, the major victories all belonged to the Union army. In the North, however, specie payments were still suspended, and little, if any, bullion was being brought to the mint for coining purposes. Consequently just 2,824 business strike Quarter-Eagles of this date were coined, with an attendant Proof mintage of fifty pieces. A handful of circulated business strikes, can be accounted for today, mostly in very fine to extremely fine condition. Likewise, a few of the fifty Proofs are also known, perhaps a dozen or so. There are several distinct diagnostics that serve to differentiate between Proofs and business strikes. The business strikes have a "filled" ear - a raised area of metal shows in Liberty's ear, whereas the Proofs have a more clearly defined ear. Another diagnostic is found in the date area. On business strikes, the date is low in the field, practically centered between Liberty's bust and the denticles beneath. On the Proofs, the date is high, with the numeral 1 nearly touching the point of Liberty's bust.