Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a penny.

c.1535		R. Copland Hye way to the Spyttel House Eiii: For the bene bonse my watch hath a wyn.
c.1566		Harman Caveat for Common Cursetours in Viles & Furnivall (1907) 83: a wyn a penny.
1592		Groundworke of Conny-catching A2: upright man: Why hast thou any lowre in thy bonge to bouse. rogue: But a flagge, a win and a make.
1608		Dekker Lanthorne and Candle-Light Ch. 1: If we niggle or mil a bowsing Ken, Or nip a boung that has but a win.
1612		Dekker ‘Canting Song’ O per se O O1: This Doxie dell, can cut bien whids, and wap well for a win.
1637		Dekker ‘Canting Rhymes’ in Eng. Villainies (8th edn) N3: For thy bene bowse my watch hath a win.
1648		Dekker ‘Canters Dict.’ Eng. Villainies (9th edn) n.p.: Dows [two] wins, two pence.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 45: [as cit. 1612].
1674		‘The Beggars Curse’ Head Canting Academy (1674) 14: [as cit. 1608].
1688		R. Holme Academy of Armory Ch. iii item 68c: Canting Terms used by Beggars, Vagabonds, Cheaters, Cripples and Bedlams. [...] Wyn, a Penny.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Win A Penny.
1703		Hell Upon Earth 6: Wind [sic], a penny.
1714		A. Smith Lives of Most Noted Highway-men, etc. I 209: He taught his Pupil a deal of canting Words, telling him [...] Win, a Penny.
1728		Defoe Street Robberies Considered 35: Win, a Penny.
1747		Life and Character of Moll King 11: Let me see, There’s a Grunter’s Gig, is a Si-Buxom; two Cat’s Heads, a Win.
1753		J. Poulter Discoveries (1774) 43: A Winn; a Penny.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: win, a penny. [Ibid.] wyn.
a.1789		G. Parker (attrib.) ‘The Sandman’s Wedding’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 65: For supper Joe sent out a win.
1791		H. Lemoine ‘Education’ in Attic Misc. 116: A link-boy once, Dick Hellfinch stood the grin, / ‘Here light, here light! your honour’s for a win,’ To ev’ry cull, and drab, he loudly cry’d.
c.1800		‘The Frolicsome Spark’ No. 31 Papers of Francis Place (1819) n.p.: Come hither you Gallus old ram [...] here’s a win for to buy you a dram.
1808		B. Bradshaw Hist. of Billy Bradshaw 10: A link-boy first I stood the grin, / At Charing-cross I plied, / ‘Come light your honour for a win,’ / To ev’ry cull I cried.
1815		‘The Gin Shop’ in Vocal Mag. 2 Jan. 5: Pray shun the Bunch of Grapes, / And don’t so often slip in for a win-drop O’.
1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 265: I have got a duce [...] and Tom’s got a win, — and Dirty Suke can flash a mag.
c.1830		‘Smith’s Frolic’ in Holloway & Black II (1979) 61: Six win! says the girl, sir, pray what do you mean? [...] Why, sixpence, says I.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 65: Here are pads from two win, that is a duce, to a tanner per night, and tip before you stall to doss.
1852		‘The Cadger’s Ball’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 149: Druv up in his pine-apple barrow. / Which he used to sell a win a slice.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1881		Morn. Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 18 July 2/6: For a penny (English) and doit (Scotch) wc have only thc names ‘saltee,’ ‘winn,’ and ‘yenep’.

2. (US) a cent (cf. penny n. (1)).

1859

Matsell Vocabulum 96: win A cent.