Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a golden guinea [the colour of the golden coin].

1616–20		Middleton Mayor of Quinborough (1661) II iv: Now, by this light, a nest of Yellow Hammers!
1633		J. Shirley Bird in a Cage ii: Is that he that has gold enough? would I had some of his yellow-hammers [F&H].

2. (US) an unsophisticated rustic; als attrib. [synon. for peckerwood n.].

[1607		Dekker & Webster Westward Hoe II i: Ile make the yellow-hammer her husband knowe [...] that theres a difference betweene a cogging Bard and an honest motherly gentlewoman].
1825		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 12 June 157/2: ‘My eyes! there’s a pair of good ones; the yellow-hammer must win’.
1836		M. Scott Cruise of the Midge II 208: This gave the little yellowhammer an opportunity of picking up the cowskin.
1855		C. Kingsley Westward Ho III 297: These same beggarly croakers, that be only fit to be turned into yellow-hammers up to Dartymoor.
1899		Ade Fables in Sl. (1902) 111: One day a Professor, preparing to make a Grand Ascension, was sorely pestered by Spectators of the Yellowhammer Variety who [...] crowded up close to the Balloon to ask Fool Questions.
1929		(con. WWI) H. Odum Wings on My Feet 125: I’m hell. I’m yeller hammer goin’ North. I’m sober-headed big boy, gonna shoot into him.
1949		A.B. Hollingshead Elmtown’s Youth (1975) 81: The area below the canal [...] down by the garbage dump; where the river rats live; behind the tannery; the bush apes’ home; squatters’ paradise; where you’ll find the God-damned yellow hammers.
1954		B. Kiely Honey Seems Bitter 33: She married a queer boy [...] a craw thumping yellow-hammer.

3. (US) an Alabamian [f. sense 2].

1865

in B.L. Ridley Battles and Sketches of the Army of Tennessee (1906) 460: The North Carolinians are called ‘Tar Heels;’ [...] Alabamians, ‘Yaller Hammers.’.

4. (US) a Chinese person [yellow adj. (2c)].

1907

B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 16: Say, you yellowhammer, if you slip me a live hunch for this aft I’ll let you wash my shirt.

5. (US) a coward [yellow adj. (4)].

1913–14

Van Loan ‘The Revenge of Kid Morales’ in Taking the Count 281: I knew you had a streak! [...] Come on and fight, you yellow-hammer!