Apparatus for storing and reading information with the aid of chip cards, plug-in cards and/or chip keys, namely, electronic card readers for storing and reading information with the aid of chip cards, plug-in cards and chip keys for automatic cash and banknote dispensing machines, for automatic machines for goods, games and services, for time recording apparatus and for monitoring access authorization; encoded electronic chip cards, chip keys, plug-in cards and software for configuration and data management of automatic machines for goods, games and services; electronic coin and banknote testing apparatus, apparatus for processing coins and banknotes, namely, money counting and sorting machines for automatic cash and banknote dispensing machines, and for automatic machines for goods, games and services; currency counting machines consisting of PCs, software for counting currency, chip card encoding and reading apparatus, chip cards, ticket printers, journal printers for continuous checking of turnover, customer displays for customer information concerning prices/credit conditions, locking cash boxes for automatic cash and banknote dispensing machines, and for manually operated cash registers