Can someone help me?

The dragon side is too poor to examine finely but there are minor subtle differences in the Chinese characters between mine and the OP's but the one major difference is the character at 6 o'clock.

So was this coin ever in circulation and if so where can I find details. Krause only identifies it as a pattern.

 

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Do you think the character that you have marked in red could stand for "Queen" or "Queen Mother" ?

The characters in that same position on your coin and on my photo stand for "Crown" or "Emperor". So I am wonder if the OP's coin was minted at a time when an interim ruler was in power until the rightful emperor where born or old enough.

Another interesting note is that the character circled in red has a certain resemblance to the Japanese kanji for queen.

<a href=""><img src="../medias/symbols/34433.png" alt="Chinese Symbols queen"/><img src="../medias/symbols/29579.png" alt="Chinese Symbols queen"/></a>

 

Well kangayou you know more than I do on this subject but do you know where I can find any info on the circulated varieties of this type?

 

I am sorry I do not yet know & everything I have suggested here has been research I began when I read the OP's initial question. I am trying to learn as I go on this subject. I do love Google !

I saw that earlier in this thread , Rockdude had posted a link to Chinese tokens for sale and there was 1 out of the 5 that was a match to your coin (if that helps).

Here is some trivia from wiki that might support my theory about there being an interim regent/ruler that might explain the 6o'clock character being different on the OP's coin:

On 22 August 1861 the Xianfeng Emperor died at Rehe Palace in the City of Rehe (now Chengde, Hebei). Before his death, he summoned eight of his most prestigious ministers, headed by Sushun, Zaiyuan, and Duanhua, and named them the "Eight Regent Ministers" to direct and support the future Emperor. His heir, the son of Noble Consort Yi (future Empress Dowager Cixi), was only five years old. On his deathbed, the Xianfeng Emperor summoned his Empress and Noble Consort Yi, and gave each of them a stamp. He hoped that when his son ascended the throne, his Empress and Noble Consort Yi would cooperate in harmony and, together, help the young emperor to grow and mature. It was also meant as a check on the power of the eight regents .[5] Upon the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, his Empress Consort, aged 25, was elevated to the title Empress Dowager Ci'an (popularly known as the East Empress Dowager because she lived in the Eastern Zhong-Cui Palace), and Noble Consort Yi, aged 27, was elevated to the title Empress Dowager Cixi (popularly known as the West Empress Dowager because she lived inside the Western Chuxiu Palace).

 

Looks like Ardatirion had it pretty well nailed a few postings previously (I just didn't check all the replies - that'll teach me).

So I take it mine is a 1 tael fake of a fantasy piece struck in the same design as the 1/2 tael feaured in the link. Absolutely fascinating.

Well done Ardatirion and thanks. And thanks kangayou for your input and of course dutchessak7 for the original post.

 

Not quite! Looking at the OP's reoriented picture, I too neglected the characters on the bottom. Back to the drawing board.

 

I've had another look at Dutchessak7's original posting and it's a 7 mace 2 candareens (equivalent to 1 dollar) version!
Now we really need an expert to explain why the same 'fantasy' design would be used on three different denomination coins (1/2 tael, 1 tael and the 7m 2c) and then why would chinese forgers make fakes of these, unless they thought that they just looked very Chinese-like and would be easier to sell to unsuspecting tourists?:headbang:

 

Beat me to it. But then, I am traveling and out of touch most of the day.

B I N G O.

 

check out this auction that is closing in 8 minutes.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ND-1895-07-Chin...ltDomain_0&hash=item2eada0175b#ht_1158wt_1132