UNITED STATES
         SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION
              Washington, D.C. 20549

                       Form 13F

                  Form 13F COVER PAGE

  Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: March 31, 2013

  Check here if Amendment [  ];Amendment Number:

  This amendment (Check only one.): [  ] is a restatement.
                                    [  ] adds new holdings entries.

  Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report:

  Name:    The Adams Express Company
  Address: 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1140
           Baltimore, MD  21202

  Form 13F File Number:28-597


  The institutional investment manager filing this report and
  the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that the person
  signing the report is authorized to submit it, that all information
  contained herein is true, correct and complete, and that it is
  understood that all required items, statements, schedules, lists,
  and tables are considered integral parts of this form.



  Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager:



  Name:      Christine M. Sloan
  Title      Assistant Treasurer
  Phone      (410) 752-5900

  Signature, Place, and Date of Signing:

  /s/ Christine M. Sloan       Baltimore, MD          April 25, 2013

   [Signature]                 [City, State]             [Date]



  Report Type (Check only one.):

  [X]   13F HOLDINGS REPORT.  (Check here if all holdings of this
        reporting manager are reported in this report).

  [ ]   13F NOTICE.  (Check here if no holdings reported are in this
        report, and all holdings are reported by other reporting
        manager(s).)

  [ ]   13F COMBINATION REPORT.  (Check here if a portion of the
        holdings for this reporting manager are reported in this report
        and a portion are reported by other reporting manager(s).)




                          Form 13F SUMMARY PAGE


  Report Summary:

  Number of Other Included Managers:     0

  Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 104

  Form 13F Information Table Value Total: $1,252,345
                                          (in thousands)


  List of Other Included Managers:

  Provide a numbered list of the name(s) and Form 13F file number(s)
  of all institutional investment managers with respect to which this
  report is filed, other than the manager filing this report.



  NONE

  
  
  


           COLUMN 1               COLUMN 2      COLUMN 3   COLUMN 4        COLUMN 5         COLUMN 6   COLUMN 7      COLUMN 8
      NAME OF ISSUER              TITLE         CUSIP      VALUE       SHRS OR  SH/  PUT/  INVSTMT   OTHER    VOTING AUTHORITY
                                 OF CLASS                 (x $1000)    PRN AMT  PRN  CALL  DISCRETN  MANAGER  SOLE   SHARED NONE
                                                                                          

 ACE LTD.                         SHS          H0023R105    14,680     165,000    SH         SOLE             165,000
 AFFILIATED MANAGERS GROUP, INC.  COM          008252108     7,940      51,700    SH         SOLE              51,700
 AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES INC. COM          024835100     4,081      90,000    SH         SOLE              90,000
 ANADARKO PETROLEUM CORP.         COM          032511107     4,372      50,000    SH         SOLE              50,000
 APPLE INC.                       COM          037833100    41,165      93,000    SH         SOLE              93,000
 AT&T CORP.                       COM          00206R102    20,180     550,000    SH         SOLE             550,000
 AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC.  COM          053015103    13,004     200,000    SH         SOLE             200,000
 AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS, LTD.      SHS          G0692U109     9,156     220,000    SH         SOLE             220,000
 BANK OF AMERICA CORP.            COM          060505104    10,109     830,000    SH         SOLE             830,000
 BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP.    COM          064058100     9,062     323,775    SH         SOLE             323,775
 BED BATH & BEYOND INC.           COM          075896100    13,850     215,000    SH         SOLE             215,000
 BOEING CO.                       COM          097023105    18,028     210,000    SH         SOLE             210,000
 BROADCOM CORP.                   CL A         111320107     7,801     225,000    SH         SOLE             225,000
 BUNGE LTD.                       COM          G16962105     7,383     100,000    SH         SOLE             100,000
 CALPINE CORP.                    COM NEW      131347304     6,180     300,000    SH         SOLE             300,000
 CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORP.      COM          14040H105    13,463     245,000    SH         SOLE             245,000
 CATAMARAN CORP.                  COM          148887102     9,545     180,000    SH         SOLE             180,000
 CATERPILLAR INC.                 COM          149123101    10,436     120,000    SH         SOLE             120,000
 CELGENE CORP.                    COM          151020104    13,909     120,000    SH         SOLE             120,000
 CENTURYLINK INC.                 COM          156700106    12,120     345,000    SH         SOLE             345,000
 CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.     COM          125269100     7,335      38,531    SH         SOLE              38,531
 CHEVRON CORP.                    COM          166764100    16,754     141,000    SH         SOLE             141,000
 CISCO SYSTEMS, INC.              COM          17275R102    14,637     700,000    SH         SOLE             700,000
 COACH INC.                       COM          189754104     6,499     130,000    SH         SOLE             130,000
 COCA-COLA CO.                    COM          191216100    12,132     300,000    SH         SOLE             300,000
 COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS   CL A         192446102    12,258     160,000    SH         SOLE             160,000
 CONSOL ENERGY INC.               COM          20854P109     2,480      73,700    SH         SOLE              73,700
 COVIDIEN PLC                     SHS          G2554F113     8,141     120,000    SH         SOLE             120,000
 CVS/CAREMARK CORP.               COM          126650100    16,222     295,000    SH         SOLE             295,000
 DIAGEO PLC ADR                   SPON ADR NEW 25243Q205     6,292      50,000    SH         SOLE              50,000
 DIGITAL REALTY TRUST INC.        COM          253868103     6,022      90,000    SH         SOLE              90,000
 DOLLAR GENERAL CORP.             COM          256677105    12,645     250,000    SH         SOLE             250,000
 DOW CHEMICAL CO.                 COM          260543103     5,572     175,000    SH         SOLE             175,000
 EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO.             COM          277432100     5,939      85,000    SH         SOLE              85,000
 EATON CORP.                      SHS          G29183103    12,556     205,000    SH         SOLE             205,000
 EBAY INC.                        COM          278642103    15,182     280,000    SH         SOLE             280,000
 EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.             COM          291011104     8,939     160,000    SH         SOLE             160,000
 EXPRESS SCRIPTS HOLDING CO.      COM          30219G108    14,701     255,000    SH         SOLE             255,000
 EXXON MOBIL CORP.                COM          30231G102     9,462     105,000    SH         SOLE             105,000
 FEDEX CORP.                      COM          31428X106     7,365      75,000    SH         SOLE              75,000
 FIFTH THIRD BANCORP              COM          316773100    10,846     665,000    SH         SOLE             665,000
 FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD   COM          35671D857     5,485     165,700    SH         SOLE             165,700
 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.             COM          369604103    16,878     730,000    SH         SOLE             730,000
 GENERAL MILLS INC.               COM          370334104    11,341     230,000    SH         SOLE             230,000
 GILEAD SCIENCES INC.             COM          375558103    20,257     414,000    SH         SOLE             414,000
 GOOGLE INC.                      CL A         38259P508    14,293      18,000    SH         SOLE              18,000
 HALLIBURTON CO.                  COM          406216101     6,061     150,000    SH         SOLE             150,000
 HCP, INC.                        COM          40414L109     6,233     125,000    SH         SOLE             125,000
 HOLOGIC, INC.                    COM          436440101     9,492     420,000    SH         SOLE             420,000
 HONEYWELL INT'L INC.             COM          438516106    22,228     295,000    SH         SOLE             295,000
 IDACORP, INC.                    COM          451107106     6,516     135,000    SH         SOLE             135,000
 INTEL CORP.                      COM          458140100    12,455     570,000    SH         SOLE             570,000
 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES  COM          459200101    22,397     105,000    SH         SOLE             105,000
 JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.             COM          46625H100    28,476     600,000    SH         SOLE             600,000
 KINDER MORGAN INC.               COM          49456B101     6,576     170,000    SH         SOLE             170,000
 LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC.           COM          548661107    20,856     550,000    SH         SOLE             550,000
 LYONDELLBASELL INDUSTRIES N.V.   SHS-A        N53745100    10,000     158,000    SH         SOLE             158,000
 MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL INC.      CL A         571903202    12,669     300,000    SH         SOLE             300,000
 MASCO CORP.                      COM          574599106     7,391     365,000    SH         SOLE             365,000
 MASTERCARD, INC.                 COM          57636Q104    12,446      23,000    SH         SOLE              23,000
 MCDONALD'S CORP.                 COM          580135101    17,944     180,000    SH         SOLE             180,000
 MCKESSON CORP.                   COM          58155Q103    12,523     116,000    SH         SOLE             116,000
 MEDNAX, INC.                     COM          58502B106     6,274      70,000    SH         SOLE              70,000
 MEDTRONIC, INC.                  COM          585055106     3,052      65,000    SH         SOLE              65,000
 MERCK & CO. INC                  COM          589331107    22,115     500,000    SH         SOLE             500,000
 METLIFE INC.                     COM          59156R108    16,539     435,000    SH         SOLE             435,000
 MICROSOFT CORP.                  COM          594918104    20,027     700,000    SH         SOLE             700,000
 NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, INC.     COM          637071101     7,075     100,000    SH         SOLE             100,000
 NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.           COM          651229106    10,440     400,000    SH         SOLE             400,000
 NISOURCE INC.                    COM          65473P105     6,161     210,000    SH         SOLE             210,000
 ORACLE CORP.                     COM          68389X105    16,170     500,000    SH         SOLE             500,000
 PANERA BREAD CO.                 CL A         69840W108     2,479      15,000    SH         SOLE              15,000
 PEABODY ENERGY CORP.             COM          704549104       816      38,560    SH         SOLE              38,560
 PEPSICO, INC.                    COM          713448108    19,777     250,000    SH         SOLE             250,000
 PETROLEUM & RESOURCES CORP.      COM          716549100    56,812   2,186,774    SH         SOLE           2,186,774
 PFIZER INC.                      COM          717081103    19,913     690,000    SH         SOLE             690,000
 PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC. COM          718172109    14,834     160,000    SH         SOLE             160,000
 PHILLIPS 66                      COM          718546104     9,016     128,850    SH         SOLE             128,850
 PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP     COM          693475105     9,975     150,000    SH         SOLE             150,000
 POTASH CORP OF SASKATCHEWAN INC. COM          73755L107     5,106     130,100    SH         SOLE             130,100
 PRAXAIR, INC.                    COM          74005P104     7,529      67,500    SH         SOLE              67,500
 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO.             COM          742718109    13,486     175,000    SH         SOLE             175,000
 QUALCOMM INC.                    COM          747525103    26,780     400,000    SH         SOLE             400,000
 RYLAND GROUP INC.                COM          783764103    13,880     333,500    SH         SOLE             333,500
 SAFEWAY INC.                     COM NEW      786514208     8,959     340,000    SH         SOLE             340,000
 SCHLUMBERGER LTD                 COM          806857108     8,987     120,000    SH         SOLE             120,000
 SEADRILL LTD.                    SHS          G7945E105     1,488      40,000    SH         SOLE              40,000
 SENOMYX, INC.                    COM          81724Q107     2,308   1,093,700    SH         SOLE           1,093,700
 SOUTH JERSEY INDUSTRIES, INC.    COM          838518108     5,559     100,000    SH         SOLE             100,000
 SPECTRA ENERGY CORP.             COM          847560109     1,700      55,280    SH         SOLE              55,280
 T. ROWE PRICE GROUP INC.         COM          74144T108     7,487     100,000    SH         SOLE             100,000
 TARGET CORP.                     COM          87612E106     8,214     120,000    SH         SOLE             120,000
 TEREX CORP.                      COM          880779103     9,121     265,000    SH         SOLE             265,000
 TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES   ADR          881624209     8,730     220,000    SH         SOLE             220,000
 UNILEVER PLC ADR                 SPON ADR NEW 904767704    13,728     325,000    SH         SOLE             325,000
 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP.        COM          913017109    17,238     184,500    SH         SOLE             184,500
 UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC.          COM          91324P102    16,448     287,500    SH         SOLE             287,500
 US BANCORP                       COM NEW      902973304    15,947     470,000    SH         SOLE             470,000
 VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC.      COM          92343V104    14,745     300,000    SH         SOLE             300,000
 WALT DISNEY CO.                  COM          254687106    20,448     360,000    SH         SOLE             360,000
 WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS, INC.      COM          94946T106     5,796     100,000    SH         SOLE             100,000
 WELLS FARGO & CO.                COM          949746101    20,714     560,000    SH         SOLE             560,000
 WISCONSIN ENERGY CORP.           COM          976657106     6,862     160,000    SH         SOLE             160,000
 ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC.            COM          98956P102     8,650     115,000    SH         SOLE             115,000
                                                         1,252,345