Abstract: An authentication system includes: a measuring portion that radiates terahertz waves to a portable medium for authentication including materials having a characteristic oscillation frequency in a terahertz frequency band, measures a spectrum, and outputs a measurement spectrum that is a measurement result; a characteristic spectrum database which stores a characteristic spectrum of the materials; a discriminating portion that discriminates the materials that are included in the portable medium for authentication based on the measurement spectrum and the characteristic spectrum, and outputs a discrimination result.

Abstract: A mini card adapter for removably holding and fixing a mini card in a secure manner is provided. The mini card adapter holds a mini card having the same thickness as the standard card and outline dimensions smaller than those of the standard card. The mini card comprises a reference wall having the same thickness as the standard card and a bulging section formed on the top surface of the reference wall. In the reference wall, a card pocket for is formed for loading therein the mini card. The land section is formed in a region corresponding to the emboss section of the standard card, and a part of the land section bulges over the card pocket. As a result, an eaves wall for supporting one side of the mini card is formed. The eaves wall has a boss which fits in a hole formed in the mini card. A receiving nail for receiving the periphery of the mini card in corporation with the eaves wall is provided on the peripheral lower surface of the card pocket.

Abstract: A mini card adapter for removably holding and fixing a mini card in a secure manner is provided. The mini card adapter holds a mini card having the same thickness as the standard card and outline dimensions smaller than those of the standard card. The mini card comprises a reference wall 8 having the same thickness as the standard card and a bulging section 9 formed on the top surface of the reference wall 8. In the reference wall 8, a card pocket 10 for is formed for loading therein the mini card 1. The land section 9 is formed in a region Z corresponding to the emboss section of the standard card, and a part of the land section 9 bulges over the card pocket 10. As a result, an eaves wall 15 for supporting one side of the mini card 1 is formed. The eaves wall 15 has a boss 16 which fits in a hole 3 formed in the mini card 1. A receiving nail 17 for receiving the periphery of the mini card 1 in corporation with the eaves wall 15 is provided on the peripheral lower surface of the card pocket 10.

Abstract: A home delivery contractor 10 enters into an affiliation contract with a credit card company 12 and also enters into a merchandise price collection consignment contract with a merchandise seller 14. If a consumer 16 orders merchandise 18 with the merchandise seller 14 on the Internet, then the merchandise seller 14 makes a request to the home delivery contractor 10 for home delivery. Upon receipt of the delivered merchandise 18, the consumer 16 passes to the home delivery contractor 10 a credit card 20 of the credit card company 12 who has entered into the affiliation contract with the home delivery contractor 10, whereby the home delivery contractor 10 settles the price for the merchandise 18 with a portable card reader device 22.

Abstract: A home delivery contractor 10 enters into an affiliation contract with a credit card company 12 and also enters into a merchandise price collection consignment contract with a merchandise seller 14. If a consumer 16 orders merchandise 18 with the merchandise seller 14 on the Internet, then the merchandise seller 14 makes a request to the home delivery contractor 10 for home delivery. Upon receipt of the delivered merchandise 18, the consumer 16 passes to the home delivery contractor 10 a credit card 20 of the credit card company 12 who has entered into the affiliation contract with the home delivery contractor 10, whereby the home delivery contractor 10 settles the price for the merchandise 18 with a portable card reader device 22.

Abstract: A home delivery contractor 10 enters into an affiliation contract with a credit card company 12 and also enters into a merchandise price collection consignment contract with a merchandise seller 14. If a consumer 16 orders merchandise 18 with the merchandise seller 14 on the Internet, then the merchandise seller 14 makes a request to the home delivery contractor 10 for home delivery. Upon receipt of the delivered merchandise 18, the consumer 16 passes to the home delivery contractor 10 a credit card 20 of the credit card company 12 who has entered into the affiliation contract with the home delivery contractor 10, whereby the home delivery contractor 10 settles the price for the merchandise 18 with a portable card reader device 22.

Abstract: A plastic card provided with a magnetic stripe, which is very difficult to forge or alter and, even tough subjected to forgery or alteration, enables the forgery or alteration to be easily detected in appearance. The plastic card includes a card substrate and a hologram-magnetic stripe including, provided on said card substrate in the following order, an adhesive layer, a first magnetic recording layer, a second magnetic recording layer, a transparent continuous thin film layer and a hologram forming layer. The first magnetic recording layer and the second magnetic recording layer are such that one of the magnetic recording layers has a coercive force at least twice as high as the other magnetic layer and a Curie point at least 100.degree. C. below the other magnetic layer and, when the magnetic recording layers are heated at a temperature in the range of from the lower Curie point to 30.degree. C.

Abstract: A plastic card provided with a magnetic stripe, which is very difficult to forge or alter and, even tough subjected to forgery or alteration, enables the forgery or alteration to be easily detected in appearance.The plastic card comprises a card substrate and a hologram-magnetic stripe comprising, provided on said card substrate in the following order, an adhesive layer, a first magnetic recording layer, a second magnetic recording layer, a metallic reflecting layer and a hologram forming layer. The first magnetic recording layer and the second magnetic recording layer are such that one of the magnetic recording layers has a coercive force at least twice as high as the other magnetic layer and a Curie point at least 100.degree. C. below the other magnetic layer and, when the magnetic recording layers are heated at a temperature in the range of from the lower Curie point to 30.degree. C. below the lower Curie point, they become substantially identical to each other in saturation writing current value.