subs. (American).—See quot. 1890.

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  1838.  J. C. NEAL, Charcoal Sketches, II. 23. If you have no brass and no tin, give us a SHINPLASTER then—them’s my terms.

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  1845.  New York Tribune, 3 Dec. The people may whistle for protection, and put up with what SHINPLASTER rags they can get.

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  1848.  DURIVAGE, Stray Subjects, 135. The cards were dealt, a brace of hands were played, and I won his ‘Red Dog’ SHINPLASTER.

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  1848.  J. R. LOWELL, The Biglow Papers.

        Ef greenbacks ain’t nut jest the cheese,
  I guess ther’ ’s evils thet ’s extremer—
For instance,—SHINPLASTER idees
  Like them put out by Gov’nor Seymour.

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  1852.  W. G. SIMMS, As Good as a Comedy: or, The Tennesseean’s Story, iv. A greasy citizen, thrusting himself forward, and holding out a couple of SHINPLASTERS, of single dollar denomination.

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  1841.  E. G. PAIGE (‘Dow, Jr.’), Short Patent Sermons, xviii. Hope’s brightest visions absquatulate with their golden promises before the least cloud of disappointment, and leave not a SHINPLASTER behind.

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  1862.  Punch, 19 July, 27, ‘Yankee Glories.’

        King Dollar ’ginst us he may turn,
  But we have King SHINPLASTER.

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  c. 1866.  The Disseminator. A grocer of New York, who had set up an opposition to the whole batch of suspended banks, found his SHIN-PLASTERS returned to him in such quantities, that, on counting over his “money,” he found that he had redeemed about 100 dols. more than he had ever issued.

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  1890.  Century Dictionary, s.v. SHINPLASTER. … A small paper note used as money; a printed promise to pay a small sum issued as money without legal security. The name came into early use in the United States for notes issued on private responsibility, in denominations of from three to fifty cents, as substitutes for the small coins withdrawn from circulation during a suspension of specie payments; people were therefore obliged to accept them, although very few of them were ever redeemed. Such notes abounded during the financial panic beginning with 1837, and during the early part of the Civil War of 1861–5. After the latter period they were replaced by the fractional notes issued by the Government and properly secured, to which the name was transferred.

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