1st issue.
On September 26, 1904, the Zemstvo Assembly approved new postal Regulations, 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 Zemstvo postage stamps prepared by the Zemstvo Board in four denominations: 1, 2, 4, and 5 kopeks.”
It was decided to introduce the Regulations on January 1, 1905. The new 5-kopeck stamps were intended to pay for registered letters, the forwarding fee for 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 forwarding 1 ruble 85 kopeks.”