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                      [CHECKMATE LETTERHEAD APPEARS HERE]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 13, 1997

                              CONTACT:  John J. Neubert
                                        CFO/Senior Vice President
                                        Checkmate Electronics, Inc.
                                        (404) 594-6000

          Checkmate Electronics, Inc. Adopts Shareholder Rights Plan

Roswell, Georgia--Checkmate Electronics, Inc., (Nasdaq-NMS Symbol:CMEL)
announced that its Board of Directors adopted a shareholder rights plan at its
meeting today and issued stock purchase Rights in connection with the rights
plan.

J. Stanford Spence, Chairman of the Board, stated: "The Rights are designed to
assure that all of Checkmate's shareholders receive fair and equal treatment in
the event of any proposed takeover of the Company and to guard against partial
tender offers, squeeze-outs, open market accumulations and other abusive tactics
to gain control of Checkmate without paying all shareholders a control premium.
The plan is not being adopted in response to any unsolicited takeover
proposals."

The stockholder rights plan is intended to enable all shareholders to realize
the long-term value of their investment in Checkmate.  The plan will not prevent
a takeover, but should encourage anyone seeking to acquire Checkmate to
negotiate with the Board prior to attempting a takeover.

In connection with the adoption of the plan, the Board declared a dividend of
one stock purchase Right on each outstanding share of common stock.  Future
issuances of Checkmate common stock will include stock purchase Rights.
Generally, the Right will be exercisable only if a person or group acquires 15%
or more of Checkmate's common stock or announces a tender offer.  Each Right
will entitle shareholders to buy one share of a common stock at an exercise
price of $50.00.  Prior to the time they become exercisable, the Rights are
redeemable for one cent per Right at the option of the Board.

If Checkmate is acquired after a person has acquired 15% or more of its common
stock, each Right will entitle its holder to purchase, at the Right's then-
current exercise price, a number of shares of the acquiring company's common
stock having a market value of

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twice such price.  Additionally, if Checkmate is not acquired, a Rights holder
(other than the person or group acquiring 15% or more) will be entitled to
purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, a number of shares of
Checkmate's common stock having a market value of twice such price.

Following the acquisition of 15% or more of the common stock, but less than 50%,
the Board may exchange some or all of the Rights (other than Rights owned by
such person or group) at an exchange ratio of one share of common stock for each
Right.

The Rights will be distributed on October 24, 1997, to shareholders of record as
of the close of business on October 24, 1997.  The Rights will expire on October
13, 2007.  Shareholders will receive additional information from Checkmate on
the plan within the near future and do not need to take any action to receive
the Rights.

At its meeting on October 13, the Board also adopted two amendments to its by-
laws which will provide further protection to Checkmate's shareholders from
unsolicited takeover proposals.  The Board adopted the fair price requirements
of the Georgia code which provide generally that, in the event of a takeover of
Checkmate, all shareholders will receive a "fair price" for their shares, as
determined by the statute.  The Board also adopted the business combinations
provisions of the Georgia code which restrict business combinations with
"interested parties."

Checkmate Electronics, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets point-of-sale
payment automation systems and terminals, including check readers, payment
authorization systems, signature capture devices and MICR analyzers to
distributors, retailers, and financial services institutions.  Headquartered in
Roswell, Georgia, Checkmate Electronics, Inc. has over 185 employees.

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