Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also binns, binoculars) glasses, spectacles.

1954		N.Y. Herald Trib. 28 Feb. 47/2: The ‘bookweary’ youngster is one who’s tired of studying, probably wears ‘binoculars’ (glasses).
1962		F. Norman Guntz 206: A young geezer with bins on.
1962		R. Cook Crust on its Uppers 102: Mr. Cream looks gloomy and heartbroken behind his twenty-guinea binns.
1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 173: Bins (a) Prismatic binocular glasses, or ordinary spectacles.
1979		F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 162: Al’s eyes blinked behind his pebble bins.
1989		in G. Tremlett Little Legs 146: Sid put his bins on to write out the bets.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 405: One ay they sexy librarian birds that wid be shaggable as fuck when the hair comes down n the bins come oaf.
2019		P. Baker Fabulosa 289/2: bins spectacles.

2. binoculars.

1934		J. Franklyn This Gutter Life 285: Here’s my bins (Kid indicated a pair of field-glasses on a side table).
1971		Dly News (NY) 26 Dec. 64S/4: My eyes [...] are so bad they’re blurring up. I’ve been using bins [binoculars] all night.
1977		see sense 1.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
2013		K. Sampson Killing Pool 56: I hand back the bins.
2023		D. Whish-Wilson I Am Already Dead 99: She kept the bins fixed upon the men, hoping to read a snatch of phrase.