Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a gold coin.

1663		A. Cowley Cutter of Coleman-street (1721) 782: I’ll make’t a thousand spankers.
a.1664		J. Denham Pooley and Killigrew 105: Whether it Pullen be or Shanker, / Corded and crooked like an Anchor, / Your cure too costs you but a Spanker.
1672		J. Phillips Maronides (1678) VI 63: Whay think ye of a merry Spanker?
1690		Mundus Muliebris Preface: The happy Couple liv’d together, and were at last bequeathed with a Purse of old Gold, Rose Nobles [...] and Spankers.
1696		Motteux (trans.) Pantagruelian Prognostications (1927) II 696: Old gold, such as your double ducats, rose-nobles, angels, spankers, spur-royals.
1732		Progress of a Rake 13: The Daddy sent him Crowns and Spankers, / Enough to get, and cure the Shankers.
1760		Foote The Minor 52: Procure you the spankers, my boy. I have a broker, that shall take off your bargain.
1779		Nocturnal Revels 2 222: Whether it is Soubise, or Little Isaac from St Mary Axe, the spankers will prevail.
1794		Sporting Mag. Oct. V 6/1: I touched the spankers – the yellow boys, and intend to lay ’em out in a present for my Kitty.
1799		Sporting Mag. Apr. XIV 46/2: If you woant gif us a vartisman wheer a’m to find my Spanker why al cum and bring it toh Mare my sen.

2. money in general.

1779		Nocturnal Revels 2 32: The Elliots must knock under, as there are no spankers in the case.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Spanks, or spankers, money.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 85: An old flagellant [...] for whom she always has a rod in pickle, she is safe to stretch his purse strings, and touch some of his yellow spankers, for which she returns some hearty hand spankers a posteriori.