An impressive Choice Mint State survivor of this conditionally challenging New Orleans Mint issue. The strike is impressively sharp for a Barber half dollar from this coinage facility. The overall detail is full, in fact, and we note only the lightest softness at the junction of the eagles left wing and shield. Brilliant apart from wisps of pale golden iridescence that are largely confined to the reverse, both sides are lustrous, generally smooth, and appealing in all regards. Besides the first year 1892 and a few late date issues such as the 1912-D, 1915-D and 1915-S, no Barber half dollar can rightly be called common in Mint State. The early New Orleans and San Francisco mint issues are particularly elusive at this level of preservation, and when encountered at all are apt to be in lower grades such as MS-62 and MS-63. This is certainly a superior quality survivor for the 1898-O, among the finest obtainable from an original mintage of just 874,000 pieces, and it is seemingly earmarked for inclusion in an advanced collection of Barber coinage.，PCGS# 6481. NGC ID: 24M4.，PCGS Population: 23; 13 finer (MS-67 finest).，
