Abstract: According to the presents invention, there are provided a magnetic card recording/reproducing apparatus comprising a coercive force identifier for identifying the coercive force of a magnetic card before magnetic information is recorded in the magnetic card, and an exciting current selector for selecting one of plural preset exciting current values as exciting current to be supplied to a recording magnetic head on the basis of the identification result of the coercive force identifier to record the magnetic information, and a magnetic card recording/reproducing method for recording/reproducing magnetic information in a magnetic card, which comprises the steps of: identifying the coercive force of the magnetic card before magnetic information is recorded in the magnetic card, and selecting one of plural predetermined exciting current values as exciting current to be supplied to a recording magnetic head for recording the magnetic information in the magnetic card on the basis of the identification result of the

Abstract: A magnetic card reading apparatus particularly for an automatic vending machine which is located in a severe environmental condition comprises a main structure and an outer structure. The main structure has a magnetic card accommodation unit adapted to accommodate a magnetic card to a predetermined position and provided with a magnetic card insertion port and a magnetic card accommodation portion communicated with the magnetic card insertion port. A magnetic head is provided for the magnetic card accommodation unit for reading out a magnetic information recorded on the magnetic card held at the predetermined position. An electronic circuit unit is provided for the magnetic card accommodation unit for processing a signal concerning the information read out by and transmitted from the magnetic head.