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.
There are a great number of these official vehicle sample plates in collectors’ hands. Most have the registration 0033 AGA and there are at least 10 examples of each of the two kinds that I know of! The registration is possible but there are two kinds of this test plate; with and without a gap between the 00 and the 33. All direct from Germany and half of them wrong.
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