Sec Form 4 Filing - STROPKI JOHN M @ LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS INC - 2012-05-01

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person STROPKI JOHN M 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS INC [ LECO] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman, President and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 05/01/2012 (Street) CLEVELAND, OH44117-1199 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Shares 05/01/2012 M 20,000 A $ 11.95 187,888 D Common Shares 05/01/2012 S 14,522 D 173,366 D Common Shares 05/02/2012 S 5,478 D 167,888 D Common Shares 05/02/2012 M 40,000 A $ 11.95 207,888 D Common Shares 05/02/2012 S 40,000 D 167,888 D Common Shares 5,000 I by Spouse Common Shares 222.844 ( 4 ) I by Trust Common Shares 12,411.398 ( 5 ) I 401(k) Plan Common Shares 80,891.913 I SPP

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.95 05/01/2012 M 20,000 10/08/2006 10/08/2013 Common Shares 20,000 $ 0 80,000 D Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.95 05/02/2012 M 40,000 10/08/2006 10/08/2013 Common Shares 40,000 $ 0 40,000 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other STROPKI JOHN M 22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE CLEVELAND, OH44117-1199 X Chairman, President and CEO Signatures /s/ Jennifer I. Ansberry, Jennifer I. Ansberry as Attorney-in-Fact for John M. Stropki, Jr. 05/03/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )500 at $49.72; 1000 at $49.704; 9830 at $49.7; 119 at $49.701; 154 at $49.71; 74 at $49.77; 345 at $49.76; 785 at $49.834; 200 at $49.83; 15 at $49.82; 1000 at $49.79 and 500 at $49.84. ( 2 )393 at $49.63; 607 at $49.6335; 1000 at $49.6967; 3000 at $49.649; and 478 at $49.60. ( 3 )1786 at $49.700; 1900 at $49.704; 100 at $49.720; 4000 at $49.730; 2000 at $49.744; 1700 at $49.760; 1200 at $49.770; 944 at $49.771; 170 at $49.780; 100 at $49.790; 1600 at $49.794; 500 at $49.800; 3300 at $49.850; 100 at $49.860; 100 at $49.900; 200 at $49.910; 300 at $49.925; 285 at $49.915; 1500 at $49.930; 999 at $49.933; 2000 at $49.934; 1900 at $49.938; 700 at $49.940; 3400 at $49.950; 2921 at $49.960; 79 at $49.967; 2277 at $49.970; 100 at $49.971; 1738 at $49.980; 100 at $49.990; 1000 at $50.00; 100 at $50.010; 700 at $50.017; and 201 at $50.020. ( 4 )Shares held by Elizabeth A. Stropki Trust. ( 5 )Held by trustee pursuant to The Lincoln Electric Company 401(k) plan. Holdings are reported on a unitized basis, which amount represents approximately 10,406.228 shares.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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