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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 ItMSmb7sm5RIjGlqRDptW/Pwnuyj69T5cZgx2GajQvNvows70e5YaJvllezvMUs+
 c5Ckpc+BfxgVdhsnws3Mfg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-014107.txt : 20030729
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-014107.hdr.sgml : 20030729
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030729104552
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-014107
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030725
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030729

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PEABODY ENERGY CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001064728
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BITUMINOUS COAL & LIGNITE SURFACE MINING [1221]
		IRS NUMBER:				134004153
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		701 MARKET ST
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63101-1826
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3143423400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		701 MARKET ST
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63101-1826

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	P&L COAL HOLDINGS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980623

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FIEHLER SHARON D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001213889

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-16463
		FILM NUMBER:		03807472

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PEABODY ENERGY CORP
		STREET 2:		701 MARKET ST
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63101
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-25</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001064728</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PEABODY ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BTU</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001213889</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FIEHLER SHARON D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>701 MARKET STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ST. LOUIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>63101</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>EVP - Human Resources &amp; Admin.</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>14.29</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>114609</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><o
wnershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>32.1787</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>64609</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><va
lue>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>27969</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-05-19</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-05-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><valu
e>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>27969</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>137160</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20976</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcq
uiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-05-22</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-05-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20976</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>116184</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transaction
Amounts><transactionShares><value>1055</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-05-19</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1055</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>115129</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Does not include 467 shares held directly and acquired under Peabody's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.<
/footnote><footnote id="F2">Of the 27,969 stock options exercised, 5,593 vested on May 19, 1999, 5,594 vested on May 19, 2000, 5,593 vested on May 19, 2001 and 11, 189 vested on May 22, 2001.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Of the 1,055 stock options exercised, 638 vested on May 19, 2001 and 417 vested on May 19, 2002.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Sharon D. Fiehler

by Joseph W. Bean, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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