FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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 *   Hedlund Steven B 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 09/08/2011 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS INC [LECO] (Last) (First) (Middle) 22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) V. P. Strategy & Bus. Dev. 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) CLEVELAND, OH 44117-1199 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 Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Shares 9,297.97 (1) D Â

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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (2)	09/24/2018	Common Shares	2,916	$ 33.375	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (3)	12/03/2018	Common Shares	3,520	$ 21.985	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (4)	12/01/2019	Common Shares	5,460	$ 26.355	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (5)	12/01/2020	Common Shares	5,580	$ 31.315	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Hedlund Steven B 22801 ST. CLAIR AVENUE CLEVELAND, OH 44117-1199	Â	Â	  V. P. Strategy & Bus. Dev.	Â

Signatures

/s/ Steven B. Hedlund		09/19/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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)	Includes 5216 shares of restricted stock and 117.970 dividend reinvestment shares.
(2)	The options become exercisable in three annual installments on September 24, 2009, September 24, 2010 and September 24, 2011.
(3)	The options become exerciable in three annual installments on December 3, 2009, December 3, 2010 and December 3, 2011.
(4)	The options become exerciable in three annual installments on December 1, 2010, December 1, 2011 and December 1, 2012.
(5)	The options become exerciable in three annual installments on December 1, 2011, December 1, 2012 and December 1, 2013.

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