To provide an impact printer which permits the accurate detection of the kind of an ink ribbon and an ink ribbon suitable for the impact printer.

The ink ribbon comprises a seam notification mark different depending on the kind of an ink ribbon provided in the position ahead of the seam in the running direction of the ink ribbon. The impact printer comprises a mark reading sensor to read the seam notification mark, a display portion which displays the kind of the ink ribbon corresponding to the mark read by the mark reading sensor, a printing control portion which controls the running and the printing of the ink ribbon so as to avoid the use of the ink ribbon for printing to the seam portion by reading the seam notification mark by the mark reading sensor.