PURPOSE: To obtain the continuous information of a third axis in addition to the coordinate information, that is, the information of the position of X and Y axes within a plane by detecting and externally outputting the state of a variable resistor provided in a coordinate indicator.

CONSTITUTION: A coordinate indicator 10 is constructed so that a capacitor 14 can be connected in parallel with resonance circuits 11 and 12 via a variable resistor 13, and the phase of a dielectric signal generated from electromagnetic coupling among exciting lines 2, the coordinate indicator 10 and sense lines 3 is changed by operating the variable resistor 13. The change in the phase is detected by a phase detector circuit 8 and the state of the variable resistor 13 can be detected by a control circuit 9. Thus, the information of the third axis can be outputted in addition to an original function of outputting the coordinate information of the X and Y axes.