On September 26, 1904, the zemstvo assembly approved new postal Rules, according to which “correspondence received by the zemstvo post is paid for in favor of the zemstvo by a postal fee, by means of special postage stamps prepared by the zemstvo board in four denominations: 1, 2, 4, and 5 kopeks.”
It was decided to introduce the Rules from January 1, 1905. Stamps of the new 5-kopeck denomination were intended to pay for registered letters, the forwarding cost of which had previously been 4 kopeks. The board’s report for 1904 states: “For printing zemstvo postage stamps: 1 kopek — 20,400 pcs., 2 kopeks — 52,200 pcs., 4 kopeks — 11,500 pcs., 5 kopeks — 19,000 pcs., total 103,100 pcs.; paid 96 rubles 06 kopeks, and for postage 1 ruble 85 kopeks.”