Green’s Dictionary of Slang

money in notes; sometimes ext. as lettuce leaves.

1903		K.E. Harriman Homebuilders 37: Unroll that bunch of lettuce you got in your mit and count out thirty-five bucks.
1925		Dos Passos Manhattan Transfer 151: He pulled out the roll of bills. ‘Ain’t dat a wad o lettuce?’.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks.
[1940		D. Maurer Big Con 268: He is somewhat alarmed to see the roper betting his money like so much lettuce].
1942		N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 45: You mean what you’d do if you had the old lettuce, huh?
1943		Chicago Trib. Graphic Section 26 Dec. 7/1: Jive Talk [...] Money. [...] Folding lettuce.
1949		Dan Burley ‘Back Door Stuff’ 20 Aug. [synd. col.] You saw all them green lettuce leaves in the top of her stocking.
1953		F. Flora ‘Collector Comes after Payday’ in Best of Manhunt (2019) [ebook] ‘All right, sucker. It’s your lettuce’.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 138: How are you off for lettuce?
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 228: She’s bringing each of you a piece of that beautiful lettuce.
1974		D. Ireland Burn 65: All you need now is the mazuma, the dough, the lettuce, the gelt, the loot, the spondulicks.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 107: Old days they used to lift TVs. Hard to imagine, in the back window, put some forty-two-inch over your shoulder and out again down the market. Got to be Superman make any lettuce.
1997		Brotha Lynch Hung ‘One of The Last’ 🎵 I want cheese and lettuce in my wallet.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 107/1: lettuce n. a $20 note.
2004		J. Ellroy ‘Hollywood Fuck Pad’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 250: Loose lettuce lolled in my trunk.
2012		Mellowhype ‘Beat’ 🎵 Cabbage, lettuce, cash is fetish in me.