-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BVdqMLk54IJyF2FzNzAZ7REKjsx/XGTdtwYgHYEJXT5dLDNxE25khBlKlzaXKNlz
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001005477-08-005511.txt : 20080829
<SEC-HEADER>0001005477-08-005511.hdr.sgml : 20080829
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080829164601
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001005477-08-005511
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080828
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080829
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080829

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			OLIVER AUGUSTUS K
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001216573

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-33962
		FILM NUMBER:		081049654

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O CORPORATE SECRETARY SCHOLASTIC CORP
		STREET 2:		557 BROADWAY
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10012

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COHERENT INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000021510
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	LABORATORY ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS [3826]
		IRS NUMBER:				941622541
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5100 PATRICK HENRY DR
		CITY:			SANTA CLARA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95054
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4087644000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5100 PATRICK HENRY DRIVE
		STREET 2:		MAIL STOP P38
		CITY:			SANTA CLARA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95054

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COHERENT RADIATION
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19770604

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Oliver Press Partners, LLC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001345476
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-33962
		FILM NUMBER:		081049656

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		152 WEST 57TH STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019
		BUSINESS PHONE:		(212) 277-5654

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		152 WEST 57TH STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Oliver Press Investors, LLC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001345477
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-33962
		FILM NUMBER:		081049655

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		152 WEST 57TH STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019
		BUSINESS PHONE:		(212) 277-5654

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		152 WEST 57TH STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar123.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000021510</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COHERENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>COHR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001345476</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Oliver Press Partners, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>152 WEST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Disclaimed Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001345477</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Oliver Press Investors, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>152 WEST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Disclaimed Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216573</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OLIVER AUGUSTUS K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>152 WEST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Disclaimed Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-08-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22992</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>36.6396</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2581097</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Davenport Partners, L.P., JE Partners and Oliver Press Master Fund LP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">As of August 28, 2008, Davenport Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;Davenport&quot;), held 244,118 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the &quot;Shares&quot;), of Coherent, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the &quot;Company&quot;).  As of August 28, 2008, JE Partners, a Bermuda partnership (&quot;JE&quot;), held 2,280,771 Shares.  As of August 28, 2008, Oliver Press Master Fund LP, a Cayman limited partnership (&quot;Master Fund&quot; and, together with Davenport and JE, the &quot;Partnerships&quot;), held 56,208 Shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Oliver Press Investors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;OPI&quot;), serves as the general partner of each of the Partnerships. Oliver Press Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;OPP&quot;), serves as the investment adviser to each of the Partnerships. Clifford Press (&quot;Press&quot;) and Augustus K. Oliver (&quot;Oliver&quot; and, collectively with OPI and OPP, the &quot;Filing Parties&quot;) serve as the Managing Members of each of OPI and OPP.  Press files separately from the Filing Parties with respect to Coherent, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Filing Parties share the power to vote and the power to direct the disposition of the Shares held by the Partnerships. The Filing Parties' interest in the securities reported herein is limited to their pecuniary interest in the Partnerships, if any.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Augustus K. Oliver, Managing Member of Oliver Press Partners, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Augustus K. Oliver, Managing Member of Oliver Press Investors, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Augustus K. Oliver</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----