The coat of arms
In the Cosne coat of arms, the Merlettes, birds with neither beaks nor feet, symbolise its presence in the First Crusade and the injuries received during the Holy Wars. In reward for his bravery during the First Crusade (1096-1099), a knight of Cosne acquired the right for himself and his descendants to carry "D'Azur à trois Merlettes d'Argent", and the privilege was transferred to the town of Cosne-sur-Loire by imperial decree on 17 May 1809.
Evolution of the town's coat of arms