Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a clipper of coins.

1857		G. Borrow Romany Rye 90: My grandfather was a shorter, and my father was a smasher, the one was scragged, and the other lagged.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 229: shorter one who makes a dishonest profit by reducing the coin of the realm by clipping and filing.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 73: Shorter, a coin-clipper, who reduces silver or gold pieces by means of aqua fortis or with a file.
1901		Argus (Melbourne) 20 Sept. 6/4: Amongst these small fry of the profession [are] the shorter or coin clipper.
1902		H. Baumann Londinismen (2nd edn).