Sec Form 4 Filing - WHITING RICHARD M @ PEABODY ENERGY CORP - 2007-10-30

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 WHITING RICHARD M 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol PEABODY ENERGY CORP [ BTU] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP - Chief Marketing Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 701 MARKET STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 10/30/2007 (Street) ST. LOUIS, MO63101-1826 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 Stock 10/30/2007 A 9,449 A 48,032 D Common Stock 101,892 I By Trust

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) $ 43.1 10/31/2007 J( 2 ) 39,342 01/03/2009 01/03/2016 Common Stock 39,342 ( 1 ) 0 ( 3 ) D Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 43.1 10/31/2007 J( 2 ) 38,150 ( 4 ) 01/03/2016 Common Stock 38,150 ( 1 ) 0 ( 3 ) D Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 37.84 10/31/2007 J( 2 ) 45,206 ( 5 ) 01/03/2017 Common Stock 45,206 ( 1 ) 0 ( 3 ) D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other WHITING RICHARD M 701 MARKET STREET ST. LOUIS, MO63101-1826 EVP - Chief Marketing Officer Signatures Richard M. WhitingBy: Kenneth L. WagnerAttorney-in-Fact 11/01/2007 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Not applicable. ( 2 )Forfeiture of employee stock options upon termination of employment. ( 3 )Does not include an additional 444,047 options with different expiration dates and exercise prices. ( 4 )Of the 38,150 options, 12,717 vested on January 3, 2007, 12,716 were scheduled to vest on January 3, 2008 and 12,717 were scheduled to vest on January 3, 2009. ( 5 )Of the 45,206 options, 15,069 were scheduled to vest on January 3, 2008, 15,068 were scheduled to vest on January 3, 2009 and 15,069 were scheduled to vest on January 3, 2010.

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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