<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-02-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001219601</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CROWN HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CCK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001199461</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CONWAY JOHN W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE CROWN WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PHILADELPHIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19154</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>true</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1133</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By 401(k) Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-02-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>183831</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>38.68</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1463332</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person was granted 183,831 shares of Restricted Common Stock under the 2006 Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plan.  59,204 shares vest over a three year period as follows:  19,735 shares on February 28, 2014 and February 28, 2015, respectively, and 19,734 shares on February 28, 2016.  The final 124,627 shares vest on February 28, 2016 based on the Company's Total Shareholder Return versus a defined peer group of companies, with the final number of performance based vested shares varying from 0 to 200% of 124,627.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Rosemary M. Haselroth, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-03-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
