An automated banking machine of a banking system operates responsive to data read from bearing records. The machine includes a card reader operative to read card data including financial account identifying data, and causes financial transfers responsive to the read card data. The machine also includes a sheet acceptor that separates each sheet from a received stack of sheets. Each sheet is aligned with a sheet path and analyzed by analysis devices which include at least one magnetic read head, an imager, and/or a validation device. Sheets determined not to be genuine are returned to the machine user. Sheets determined to be genuine are processed and stored in the machine. At least one surface area image sensor and at least one image data processor are used to determine sheet movement in the sheet path.