Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an insignificant, weak person.

1901		W. Irwin Love Sonnets of a Hoodlum X n.p.: So am I now small change in Mamie’s scorn.
1926		Maines & Grant Wise-crack Dict.
a.1946		‘The Open Book’ in G. Logsdon Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing (1995) 116: There’s a so-called cowhand in Utah, / Who thinks he’s the salt from Salt Lake; / He’s only small change from that locoweed range, / With less brains than to make his head ache.
1958		E. Gilbert Vice Trap 109: I’ve walked and talked big [...] and been small change.
1960		Mad mag. Dec. 47: 23 skidoo, small change.
1976		Tom Waits ‘Small Change’ 🎵 Well small change got rained on with his own .38 / and nobody flinched down by the arcade.

2. as a term of address to a smaller person.

1962

P. Crump Burn, Killer, Burn! 356: Smallchange, I just wanted to see you.