The young woman in folk costume who once graced the 5-lat coin in pre-war Latvia might return someday to the nation’s version of a euro coin. The suggested design is part of the winning entry in a contest to conceptualize what Latvia’s eight euro coins might look like, the Bank of Latvia announced Aug. 16.

Ilze Kalniņa of Jēkabpils won the LVL 1,000 top prize in the contest. She suggested that Latvia’s version of the 2 euro coin display the picture of the woman from the old silver coin, popularly known as the “Milda.” Kalniņa also suggested that a picture of the Freedom Monument appear on the 1-euro coin and that Latvia’s coat of arms appear on lesser denominations.

A total of eight euro coins are used in the European Union, the 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins, as well as the 1- and 2-euro coins. They share a common side, but have different national sides, according to the European Central Bank.

Kalniņa’s concept was selected by a jury from a total of 1,088 entries received from January to April, the bank said.

The bank said the design concept might be modified during discussions with the mint. The earliest the coins might appear, if Latvia is deemed ready to switch to the euro, is January 2008.

A picture of the woman in folk costume appears on the current 500-lat banknote.