Ownership Submission
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 *
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 (Month/Day/Year)
02/29/2012
(Street)

CLEVELAND, OH 44117-1199		 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 02/29/2012   A   12,000 A $ 11.73 183,787 D  
Common Shares 03/01/2012   A   22,000 A $ 11.73 205,787 D  
Common Shares 02/29/2012   S   10,400 D (1) 195,387 D  
Common Shares 03/01/2012   S   19,700 D $ 46.5838 (2) 171,788 (3) D  
Common Shares               5,000 I by Spouse
Common Shares               221.997 (4) I by Trust
Common Shares               12,402.743 (5) I 401(k) Plan
Common Shares               80,455.364 I SPP

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) $ 11.73 02/29/2012   M     12,000 11/20/2005 11/20/2012 Common Shares 12,000 $ 11.73 52,000 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.73 03/01/2012   M     22,000 11/20/2005 11/20/2012 Common Shares 22,000 $ 11.73 30,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
STROPKI JOHN M
22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE
CLEVELAND, OH 44117-1199		   X     Chairman, President and CEO  

Signatures

 /s/ Jennifer I. Ansberry, Jennifer I. Ansberry as Attorney-in-Fact for John M. Stropki, Jr.   03/02/2012
**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) 200 at $46.50;100 at $46.5003; 100 at $46.505; 100 at $46.51; 300 at $46.52; 300 at $46.53; 400 at $46.55; 100 at $46.555; 293 at $46.56; 873 at $46.57; 100 at $46.5713; 100 at $46.5715; 334 at $46.58; 1,100 at $46.59; 100 at $46.595; 700 at $46.60; 100 at $46.605; 3,200 at $46.655; 600 at $46.61; 700 at $46.66; 600 at $46.67.
(2) This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $46.50 to $46.735. The price reported reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares and prices at which the transaction was effected.
(3) Total also includes 1,101 shares attributable to dividends earned on shares of restricted stock that were granted on November 29, 2006 and vested on November 29, 2011.
(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 10,426.467 shares.

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