On September 26, 1904, the zemstvo assembly approved new Postal Regulations, according to which “correspondence received by the zemstvo post is paid in favor of the zemstvo by a postal fee, by means of special postal stamps of four denominations prepared by the zemstvo board: 1, 2, 4, and 5 kopeks.”
It was decided to introduce the Regulations from January 1, 1905. The new 5-kopeck stamps 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 the printing of zemstvo postal 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 shipping 1 ruble 85 kopeks.”