PURPOSE: To easily discriminate the thickness of sheet paper or the like when more than two pieces of sheet paper or the like are simultaneously transported by providing a thickness detection mechanism detecting the thickness of fed paper money at the time of transporting the sheet paper or the like of paper money.

CONSTITUTION: Paper money 18 in the money entrance port 1 of a paper money handling device is separated by a separation mechanism one piece by one piece and they are fed. Then, they pass through a thickness detection mechanism 8 and an identification part 7. When paper money 18 passes through a transportation belt 15 hung to a pulley 16 and they pass through the clearance of a detection roller 10 and a cam ASSY 11, it pushes the cam ASSY 11 and a sensor 12 is shielded from the light. At that time, the manipulated variable of the cam ASSY 11, namely, the shielding quantity of the sensor 12 changes by the number of the passing paper moneys. When the output signal of the sensor 12 is transmitted to a control part 9, a connection piece part 9 judges the fault of the thickness detection mechanism 8 and decides the stack destination of the paper money in accordance with the signal. Consequently, paper money is stacked in any of a money payment port 6, a safe 2 and stackers A3, B4 and C5.