Groschen of Cologne

The obverse bears the shield of arms, with three crowns, and the legend: IASPAR/MELChIO/BALThAS. These refer to the three holy kings; Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, whose bones are in a shrine in Köln, (Cologne). Emperor Friedrich III gave Cologne the right to begin minting these coins in 1474. This is only the second Groschen of Cologne recorded by PAS.