Green’s Dictionary of Slang

beans n.¹

money.

1859, 1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1890		Dundee Eve. Teleg. 3 Apr. 2/5: We may talk of our money in a score of ways [...] ‘the actual,’ ‘the wherewithal,’ ‘beans,’ ‘blunt,’ [...] ‘shot,’ ‘feathers’.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 19 Feb. 2/8: To indicate money you must say ‘beans’, ‘gaunts’, ‘rhino’, ‘sugar’, ‘stuff’.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 27 Jan. 2/8: The comedy [...] was an utter failure. [...] It was only the knowledge that their ‘beans’ depended on their carrying the thing through that kept the actors and actresses from chucking it up.
1904		L.M. Palmer-Archer Bush Honeymoon 71: He’s been up the river racing, won a bit of beans.
1906		E. Dyson Fact’ry ’Ands 213: Yer thinkin’ iv doin’ er mag erbout sheddin’ yer beans in ther scared cause iv charity.
1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Dec. 30/3: ‘You’ll get £450 net.’ [...] ‘That’s a lot o’ beans. Wot will I do with it all?’.
1914		E. Dyson Spats’ Fact’ry (1922) 28: Our Benno’s jist the boy t’ hide his beans under a bushel.
1924		C.J. Dennis ‘Nocturne’ in Rose of Spadgers 52: Fools as stacks uv beans to spill.
1938		R. Chandler ‘Red Wind’ in Red Wind (1946) 55: That’s the way guys like you make your beans.
1944		J. Cary Horse’s Mouth (1948) 180: Expense is no object. She’s got the beans.
1955		J.P. Donleavy Ginger Man (1958) 40: For the first time in months I’ve got a few beans.
1967		Babs Gonzales I Paid My Dues 97: After the very first week she had made two big beans ($200).
1969		Current Sl. IV:1.