Noticed a couple of differences with this 1898 Barber Half that I haven’t been able to find on any other Barber halves for this year or others. On the right side of the obverse, the sixth star seems to have an extra point. The third (fourth) points don’t line up to suggest they are parts of the same one. On the left side of the reverse, the eagle’s wing tip seems to be fractured. Every other one I’ve found tapers neatly to a point. Is my imagination running wild?
Looks like all you have is a well circulated barber half. Scratches and scuffs probably caused the "extra point" on the star, and the eagle's wing is just heavily worn.
It got hit on the star and the wingtip, but those are far from the worst things this coin has had to endure. Still, in a junk-silver lot, I'd take this coin over yet another worn Walker or Franklin.
