A position detecting apparatus has a plurality of magnetostrictive transmission medium elements which are arranged substantially in parallel with one another. A first coil and a second coil are wound around these elements such that signals are exchanged between these coils through the intermediary of the magnetostrictive transmission medium elements. The electric-mechanical coupling coefficient of the magnetostrictive transmission medium elements is locally changed by a magnetism from a position appointing magnetism generator so as to appoint a position on a plane provided by the magnetostrictive transmission medium elements, and the appointed position is detected through detection of a change in the timing of a signal caused by the local change in the above-mentioned coefficient. The position appointing magnetism generator is not connected to any portion of the stationary part of the apparatus. The apparatus is capable of detecting the appointed position at a high resolution, even when the position appointing magnetism generator is spaced apart vertically from the position detecting region. This apparatus is usable also for a moving object, with the position appointing magnetism generator affixed to the moving object.