Now we come to the former Soviet Union (FSU) countries. When the various countries gained independence at the collapse of the Soviet Union, all re-plated with their own distinct styles between 1992 and 1996. Nearly all these countries suffered from an excess of mint unused plates going straight from the factory in Germany to collectors in Germany. These were then sold on as the genuine article. Just about all the mint first series after independence plates in collections are samples and they have never been to the country they represent.
There is no such thing as a correct design mint plate that has come from the actual country it is made for as the FSU countries are very strict about not letting any plates out of their hands.
Moral: Mint German made FSU plates are always samples and often of the wrong design.
Turkmenistan.
The 2 foreigner plates on the left are correct but mint and the top one is hanging in the Utsch museum.
The diplomatic plate has the wrong dies and the registration is way too high. The Foreigner plate at bottom right has a number that will not exist for many years to come and has the wrong dies.
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