coliander (seed), n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

coliander (seed) n.

[SE coliander, the earliest sp. (c.1000) of coriander, which is found as a seed. Seeds provide a form of growth, necessary for life; thus fig. synon. with money]

(UK Und.) money (cf. coriander (seed) n.).

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Coliander-seed, c. Money.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1797		in ‘T.B. Junr’ Pettyfogger Dramatized.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open [as cit. 1835].
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict. [as cit. 1835].
1905		Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. 4 Feb. 5/6: Money in general is known as: The Actual, Coliander Seeds, [...] Hard, John Davis, King’s Pictures, [...] Nonsense, Oil of Angels, [...] Rowdy.