PURPOSE: To enable accurate discrimination of whether or not a passbook newly inserted during recording is a new one, by reading recording columns provided on a page opened when a passbook is inserted and a magnetic stripe.

CONSTITUTION: Recording columns 20a, 20b, 20c and the like are provided on a page of a passbook in this order from the top side of the page. A magnetic stripe 21 is provided at a bottom part of an outside back cover, and when the passbook is in use, an ID number (M1), a bank number (M2), an office number (M3) and an accound number (M4) or the like are recorded in the magnetic stripe 21. When the passbook is used up, the old passbook is discharged through a passbook-inserting port 5. The old passbook is drawn out, a new passbook is inserted through the port 5, and it is discriminated by reading by a passbook printer whether or not information is recorded in recording columns 20aW20c on the double-spread pages of the pass book and whether or not data are written in the magnetic stripe 21. When no information is printed in the recording columns and no data are written in the stripe 21, the passbook is discriminated as a new passbook, then continued printing of transactions on the double-spread pages and writing of data in the magnetic stripe 21 are performed, followed by discharging the new passbook.