A system for counting overlapped newspapers delivered to a stacker which employs an optical sensor which is passive in nature. Accurate count is obtained by image analysis of the image presented by the edge of the newspaper flow as the image is focused on a linear CCD array. Definitive values are determined which are quantitative of the top profile, height, of the newspapers. The processing technique employed determines the rate of change of the height of the image and utilizes the rate of change data to output a newspaper count increment when the rate of change, derivative, of top profile height changes from a positive value to a negative value and the measured profile height exceeds a calibrated value thickness, and outputs two newspaper count increments when the measured profile height exceeds a second calibrated value thickness.