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 OF SECURITIES 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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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * PETRELLA VINCENT K   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS INC [LECO] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior V.P, CFO & Treasurer (Last) (First) (Middle) 22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/29/2012 (Street) CLEVELAND, OH 44117 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 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 (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 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 05/29/2012   M   28,800 A $ 19.965 80,812 D   Common Shares 05/29/2012   S   20,582 D (1) 60,230 D   Common Shares               3,482.003 (2) I by 401(k)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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 (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

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 (Month/Day/Year)

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)

$ 19.965

05/29/2012

M

28,800

11/30/2008

11/30/2015

Common Shares

28,800

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
PETRELLA VINCENT K 22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE CLEVELAND, OH 44117			Senior V.P, CFO & Treasurer

Signatures

/s/ Jennifer I. Ansberry, Jennifer I. Ansberry as Attorney-in-Fact for Vincent K. Petrella		05/31/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	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).
(1)	9,178 at $49.500; 100 at $49.5031; 700 at $49.5050; 100 at $49.5075; 2,204 at $49.5100; 400 at $49.5114; 2,800 at $49.5150; 200 at $49.5170; 300 at $49.5175; 1,700 at $49.5200; 100 at $49.5203; 100 at $49.5221; 100 at $49.5250; 800 at $49.5300; 100 at $49.5350; 500 at $49.5400; 100 at $49.5450; 400 at $49.5500; 200 at $49.5550; 400 at $49.5600; and 100 at $49.5800.
(2)	Held by trustee pursuant to The Lincoln Electric Company 401(k)plan. Holdings are reported on a unitized basis, which amount represents approximately 2,918.438 shares.

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