Legal Definitions - shin plaster

Definition: Shin plaster is a slang term used in history to refer to paper money that has lost its value or is worth less than its face value. It can also refer to paper money in denominations less than one dollar.

Examples:

• A bank note from the Republic of Texas that was worth less than a U.S. dollar would be considered a shin plaster.
• Paper money in denominations of 25 cents or 50 cents would also be considered shin plaster.

The examples illustrate how shin plaster was used to describe paper money that was not worth its face value. In the case of the Republic of Texas bank note, it was worth less than a U.S. dollar due to inflation and other economic factors. The denominations of 25 cents and 50 cents were also considered shin plaster because they were not worth much and were often used for small transactions.