pistareens

“Without a coinage,” he wrote, “or unless a stop can be put to the cutting and clipping of money, our dollars, pistareens, &c., will be converted, as Teague says, into five quarters.”

The True George Washington Ford, Paul L 1896

Especially were there still seen Spanish dollars, halves, quarters, fifths or pistareens, and eighths -- the last being the Spanish "real," "ryall," or

History of the United States, Volume 2 (of 6) Elisha Benjamin Andrews 1880

Beside the ninepences and fourpence-ha'-pennies, there were bits and half-bits, pistareens, picayunes, and fips.

The Critical Period of American History John Fiske 1871

One by one, the herb-doctor picked them up, and, examining them, said: "these are not quarters, these are pistareens; and clipped, and sweated, at that."

The Confidence-Man 1857

"These are not quarters, these are pistareens; and clipped, and sweated, at that."

The Confidence-Man Herman Melville 1855

They only go for pistareens, though, where they are known.

Wreaths of Friendship A Gift for the Young 1835

Page view page image: their bellies, corpulent with pieces of eight, or venerable doubloons; and chests, wedged close with moidores, ducats, and pistareens, yawned before his ravished eyes, and vomited forth their glittering contents.

Tales of a Traveller 1824

At every stroke of the spade he laid bare a golden ingot; diamond crosses sparkled out of the dust; bags of money turned up their bellies, corpulent with pieces of eight, or venerable doubloons; and chests, wedged close with moidores, ducats, and pistareens, yawned before his ravished eyes, and vomited forth their glittering contents.

Tales of a Traveller Washington Irving 1821