A ticket checking/issuing apparatus for checking and issuing a ticket on which data is recorded, includes a ticket holding unit for holding the ticket, and a head unit which is moved along the holding unit. The head unit has a magnetic head which is brought into sliding contact with the ticket held by the holding unit so as to record and/or reproduce data on and/or from the ticket. A friction member is arranged on a surface of the holding unit opposing the head unit. The friction member has a friction coefficient between itself and the ticket larger than that between the magnetic head of the head unit and the ticket. The friction member is brought into sliding contact with the magnetic head when the head unit is moved while the holding unit does not hold a ticket, and is brought into contact with the ticket held by the holding unit when the holding unit holds the ticket. An apparatus for recording magnetic information to a recording area of a medium, which includes a magnetic head, moved along the recording area of the medium, for recording the magnetic information to the recording area of the medium, and a unit for holding the medium. The unit for holding the medium has a friction coefficient between itself and the medium larger than that between the magnetic head and the medium.