Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(street gang) a fake, practice battle.

1959

H. Salisbury Shook-Up Generation (1961) 22: When a cool has been on for some time gang leaders may order a ‘shin fight’ (sham battle) between the Little People and the Big People.

1. (US) a banknote [SAmE use suggests depreciated or valueless money; sl. use has no such implication].

1866		W. Stamer Life of Adventure 1 274: [I]it had never struck me that the notes of such a well-known bank as that of ‘Cape Fear’ would not pass current in the Northern states, and I had not therefore taken the precaution of converting my money into Yankee ‘shin-plaisters’ [sic].
1882		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 1 Apr. 7/1: ‘I’ve been having a jolly time all week [i.e. working in a brothel] and I’ve got the shlnplasters, too’ [...] she exclaimed, exhibiting a roll of greenbacks .

2. (Aus.) IOUs issued by hotels (i.e. public houses) or stores.

1935

Queenslander (Brisbane 18 Apr. 2/4: ‘Shin-plasters,’ or hotel or store issued I.O.U.’s [...] I remember [...] having under £20 worth of ‘shin-plasters,’ all issued by the same publican .

3. in attrib. sense, worthless.

1842		Freeman’s Jrnl 14 Feb. 2/1: Four ‘institutions,’ designated ‘shin-plaster banks,’ had been destroyed by the mob.
1852		Newcastle Guardian & Tyne Mercury 21 Feb. 7/2: A Californian apper says: ‘We had no sooner got over the shin-plaster excitement than we were thrown into another, namely the abduction of Captain Ellis.
1862		J.R. Lowell Biglow Papers 2nd series (1880) 128: I guess there’s evils thet’s extremer / Fer instance, shinplaster idees / Like them put out by Gov’nor Seymour.
1862		Dundee, Perth & Cupar Advertiser (Scot.) 12 Aug. 7/2: The American Shin-Plaster Currency [...] The union is flooded with paper. It descends like snow, in flakes, worth a half-penny a piece.
1868		London Standard 27 Jan. 6/3: From your speech while I condense / Here and there some sterling sense. / Most of it is mere ‘shin-plaster’.
[1870		Perryburg Jrnl (OH) 6 May 4/1: The name of ‘shin-plasters’ was applied to the old Continental bills, it is said, for the reason that they were so plenty and worthless that the soldiers used them as plasters for slight wounds on their legs].
1875		Bath Chron. 16 Sept. 8/3: We remember the amusement caused both at home and abroad by the ‘shin-plaster’ money on its first appearance.
1908		Baltimore Sun (MD) 20 Sept. 17/6: ‘Shin plasters’ was originally applied to the continental money which pepreciated after the [American] Revolution until many folks thought it was good for nothing].

(US) a poor dancer.

1926

Judge (NY) 91 July-Dec. 31: Shin Slopper - Poor dancer.

(UK prison/Und.) the treadmill.

1869		J. Greenwood Seven Curses of London 87: The treadmill, shin scraper (arising, it may be assumed, on account of the operator’s liability, if he is not careful, to get his shins scraped by the ever-revolving wheel).
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.

walking, travelling on foot.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 221/2: Shin stage (Peoples’, 18 cent.). Journey on foot – or by propelling the shins.

see not know shit from Shinola under shit n.